Personal recollections of Private John Henry Cammack : a soldier of the Confederacy, 1861-1865 ... : to which is added press notices and other papers containing final tribute to his memory

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Til is booklet is presented to you on account of the
warm personal rej^ard you had for the writer.

You understand, of course, that he never dreamed
that these notes would be published.

We have taken no liberties in editing, because they
read just as he talked. Only minor changes have been
made and these would not have been necessary but for
the fact that there were many pencil notations and
oecasiojial names left out which had to be filled in.

If you derive as much pleasure from the written
story as we have from hearing these often told tales
of his boyhood days as a soldier of the Old Dominion,
we shall feel amply repaid for having converted, what
to us is a very ])recious manuscript, into permanent
form.

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JOHN HENRY CAM MACK- 1 843- 1 920

Personal Recollections

OF

Private John Henry Cammack

A Soldier of the Confederacy
186M865

Written at the urgent request of his family and friends,
during the last years of his life, and published that
the story may be read by those who knew and
honored him.

To which is added press notices and other papers con-
taining final tribute to his memory.

rARAsoN rr«. • pui. co.. muntinctoh. w. va.

So live that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan, that moveSf
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
II is chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to hi^ dungeon, but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,
Like one icho wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

— Bryant.

INTRODUCTORY

The task of gathering up the scattered threads of
John Henry Cammack's war experiences has been as
arduous as it was pleasant.

All throu^rh the years of his middle life, when
friends would be present, particularly old comrades,
stories of the war were one of the great means of en-
tertainment. To his family certain of these stories
grew very dear. They were told and retold. His large
fund of innate humor threw around the whole of the
bitter war story a sort of glamour which took away the
harsnness of the actual incidents and at times made the
whole tlirilling experience seem to the children who
heard the stories to be only a matter of holiday sport.

It was this fine sense of humor that stayed with him
to his last day; which smoothed over the rough places,
and lent radiance to the war stories that were told in
the family circle.

Ten years ago members of the family and friends
began urging him to write out his personal story of
the war. He demurred because he thought it would
seem egotistic, then he claimed that he was a poor
writer, that the events had happened so long ago that
he could not recall them and that nobody would be
interested in the affair anyway. But, after repeated
urging, he began making his notations.

These were written under widely varied circum-
stances and it is a great wonder that there is any
coherence to the narrative. Some notes were prepared

on the front porch at home, some on trains, some at
hotels in Florida, others on long trips, others at the
office. Despite this wide variety the story as told is
rej?ular, consistent, coherent, chronological and lacks
very little in giving exact dates and names, although
most of the writing was done nearly a half century
after the events transpired.

It had been the firm intent of members of the
family to get hold of these notes and publish them in
pamphlet form while the writer was still living, but
the long severe illness which culminated in his death
May Gth, rendered this impossible.

It is a plain and simple and straight-forward story
of the Civil war from the standpoint of a private soldier.
It has an intense personal interest from this very fact.
The majority of liistories are written from the view-
point of the General, while this is the story of the fight-
ing man from beginning to end, inspired only by loyalty
to his State and a firm conviction that he was fighting
for principle.

No apology is given for the publication, because
it is intended as a simple monument that will endure
as long as a shaft of granite. It will circulate, naturally,
only among the members of the family and those com-
rades and friends who loved the man who wrote.

— His Sons.

MY EXPERIENCES IN THE CIVIL WAR

Thoug:h a mere boy I was an active participant in
the stirring: scenes of 1861 to 1865,

Naturally in the years before the war and as my
family grrew up the tales of the war were told and re-
told. Friends and comrades would sit around the fire
side and we would fi«;lit ajrain the battles of the Civil
War and the most of the instances became a part of
our family history. 1 was repeatedly urged to make
notations of my experiences during the war so that my
children and grand children might have them in a more
permanent form than mere memory.

I am not a writer and never had many advantages
of the schools, but, after repeated solicitation, and hav-
ing retired somewhat from active business, I have de-
cided to set down in order, purely from memory, my
part in the Civil War.

I have read many histories of the war. They cover
a wide scope and go deeply into the philosophy of
human events, but have been written mostly from the
standpoint of the General who directed or of the his-
torian who collected facts and arranged them for public
use.

As to the cause of the war, I have little to say. I
was a Virginian as were my people, and when mj' state
went to war, I saw no other course open but to follow
the fortunes jf the old Dominion. After fifty years

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

and a full survey of the events that have transpired
I am led to believe that if the alternative were presented
again, I should perhaps take the same course.

Ancestors

My father John C. Cammack was born December
23, 1S14, in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. His
father William Cammack was a Scotchman but was bom
in America of Scottish parentage. His mother Cather-
ine Cammack, was of English decent, a Miss Overton.
Her father had kept what was known as the ** Yellow
Tavern" near Richmond, Virginia. It was at this point
that General J. E. B. Stuart was killed in the latter part
of the Civil "War.

My mother IMargaret A. Cammack was the daugh-
ter of Robert Gibbs, she was bom at Winchester, Vir-
ginia, December 17, 1820. Her father was from Done-
gal, Ireland.

My Grandfather Gibbs w^as educated at the Uni-
versity of Ediiiburg but wlien 22 years of age, came to
this country and went into business in Philadelphia,
soon after marrying my grandmother.

I was born on a farm near the town of Dayton in
Rockingham County, Virginia, December 22, 1843.
There were eight sons and two daughters in the family,
two of the boys died in infancy. At the time these
memoirs were begun, the rest of the children were liv-
ing except my brother Lucius, wlio was mortally wound-
ed August 9, 1862, in the battle of Cedar Mountain.
Since that time my brother Algernon, who was for many
years a great sufferer, has died.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

We Were Farmers

My father was a farmer, then a stage driver and
later an ag:ent of a large Stage Line purchasing supplies
for the company. In 1859 it seems that he had bought
supplies for the company and they were charged to him.
The company failed anc\ he had to pay as far as he
was able. In the late fall of that year, we set out from
Amherst County, Virginia, and moved to Harrison
County, and went to farming again.

Rumblings of War

About the middle of the year 1860, the rumblings
of the CIVIL WAR began to be heard. Almost all the
country people were readers of the newspapers and they
were right plentifully scattered among the people all
over the County. In the stores, post offices, blacksmith
shops, shoe shops and wherever men and boys would
congregate to hear the news and discuss questions at
issue they, were found. In the community, where I
lived Union and Non-Union sentiment was nearly equal-
ly divided. At every school house there were debating
societies formed, these societies taking up nearly all the
live issues of the day. Sometimes these meetings and
discussions made angry blood and often it was that boys
and sometimes men, were engaged in disputes and even
fights.

Excitement ran very high all over our part of the
state in the fall of 1860, when there were three tickets
in the field for President — the R(?publicans with Mr.
Lincoln for President. In Virginia only a few people

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

could by any stretch of the imagination be expected
to vote for Mr. Lincoln.

*I remember after the election, when it was said,
that two men down about Lumberport, voted for Lin-
coln. There was a great surprise expressed that any
man on the soil of Virginia would dare vote the Black
Republican Ticket.

A Personal Encounter

On the day of the election I went down to the
village about sunset, a little curious to see the crowd
and Iiear the noises. I was there but a short time, had
purchased a half gallon, open can of tar. Soon after
leaving the village I was overtaken by -about twelve
young men of the neighborhood above me and I
thought tliey all appeared to be under the influence of
drink. They were headed by a young man by the name
of Ratcliffe, who was riding a very fine mare. lie rode
up along side me and almost at once proposed to trade
horses. I was riding a very good horse, but a farm
horse and not near so valuable as his. I told him I
did not wish to trade but, he insisted on me making a
statement, finally I told him I would trade even. This
angered him greatly and he swore if I did not go back —
if I continued on that road a quarter of a mile he would
kill me. He then went on and joined his companions.

I confess that I was afraid of coming to harm if
I followed that road home, but I knew of no other way
home, so I risked it. A short distance from there I
found them in line across the road. I rode over a low
bank and got in a pig path down by the fence and

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

attempted to pass their line, which was formed en-
tirely across the roadway. Secinf? what I was tryingr
to do, Ratcliffe spurred his mare down the bank and
caught my horse's bridle, swearing that he would kill
me now. I thought he was ai-ranging to use a knife
on me and 1 drew back the can of tar, all the weapon
1 had, and was about to strike him in the face with it,
when to my surprise one of the young men spurred
out of the crowd and rushing down, broke Ratcliffe
loose from my bridle and took me by the arm, rode
with me out into the road in front of the crowd. ''Now"
said he, "I have witnessed your actions towards this
young man, we can whip all of you together" I have
always felt very grateful to that young man for rescu-
ing me. I have also, always been glad the crowd did not
insist on seeing if we two could whip them all. I was
doubtful about it then and have been so since, although
I 've been told, my friend was a champion fighter.

The more I thought about it, the more angry I
felt at Ratcliffe and so I persuaded father, about a
week after that, to let me go up to Ratcliffe 's tannery
to buy some leather. After buying the leather and
seeing that the fellow did not recognize me, I invited
him to walk down the road with me. He seemed sur-
prised, but came with me. When we had gotten out
of sight of the house I hitched my horse and told him
I intended to give him a big thrashing. Then I told him
why. If I had been looking for an apology and writing
it up for him, I couldn't have made it any more lowly
than he did.

The fact is he had been drunk on election day.

10 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Inflammatory Speeches

Excitement ran riot, not only in our own com-
munity, but throughout all Virginia and in the South.

The public men of botli sections were heard and
their speeches read with eai^emess. There were giants
in Congress at that time and everyone of them had his
(iuiver full of speeches, many of them so full of angry
and reckless charges and wild and unbrotherly threats
that the people generally were much more excited and
angry after 1861 came in than they had been before.

Tliere were a great many men on both sides of
Mason and Dixons line not then in Congress, who were
gifted with the power to p.ove the people with fierj^
speech and a large number of them, instead of trying
to allay the excitement of tlie crowds that gathered to
hear them, seemed determined to increase their lack of
self control.

One of our neighbors was a man by the name of
Abraham Smith. lie was i\t that time seventy years
old, a strong Southerner fiom the valley of Virginia,
a man of ungovernable temper, and it is needless to say
a strong partisan. This man had two sets of children,
six boys and a girl composed the last set. The girl
was regarded as a great beruty and had graduated in
one of the best colleges in \'irginia. She married Dr.
]Mat Blair, who was afterwards Surgeon of the 20th
Virginia Cavalry. Their marriage was not a happy one,
owing largely to the fact that Blair was a very dissi-
pated man. Kate, his wife, died soon after the war.

T have mentioned Mr. Smith here because it was
largely through him that I Iiad access to the papers of

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 11

that time, and the discussion had at his house almost
daily filled me with interest and enthusiasm.

I was sixteen years old in December of that year,
two of the Smith boys, John and Dan, were older than
I. Ed was about my age, Dan and I were almost in-
seperable.

John S. Carlisle, a member of Congress, who lived
in Clarksburg, was a really strong man, a fine speaker
and a politican. He was known to be a staunch Union
man. He was elected to the Virginia convention, some-
times called the "Secession Convention". The North
Western part of the State sent a large majority of men
to that Convention who were largely in favor of re-
maining in the Union. I say largelj^ in favor of re-
maining in the Union, I mean by that, that at this time
scarcely two men out of a dozen were in favor of leav-
ing the Union.

There were some notable cases of vain talk. A
certain magistrate, who was a rich farmer and a fine
looking fellow seemed very anxious for a fight. He
wanted War! War! Red War! Afterwards when a
very fine opportunity came for him to occupy himself
as a soldier, he refused and went away over into the
mountains and never fired a shot during the war.

Oil Excitement

About January 1st, 1861 there was great excite-
ment about oil being found at Burning Springs, in
Wirt County. My brother Lucius S. Cammack soon
went to that place and entered into a Company made
up of men from our neighborhood, to bore for oil. My

12 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

brother was employed as * * Augerman ' \ I might re-
mark here that this well when oil was actually found,
in the middle of this same year, was next to the largest
well ever struck at that place, yielding many hundreds
of barrels per day, but Alas and Alack! only a few of
the original owners ever received a penny for the out-
put of oil. It happened that nearly all the owners came
back and went to the Southern Army, as my brother
did, and a very unscrupulous fellow, by bulldosing and
deceiving most of the people who owned the stock bought
the stock and run the well for himself, out of which he
was said to have made a groat many thousands of dol-
hirs. My father, during most of the war, kept up the
assessments which he made witli great regularity,
although the well was said to be yielding a vast amount
of oil. In the last part of 1S64 the owner demanded
of my father to pay him an assessment of $525.00 under
pain of the property being L-onfiscated. Not being able
to pay the money, he finally agreed with the man to
sell the interest my brother had owned for $125.00, the
amount,.! believe, being pa-d in the shape of a horse.
This man during the war that was coming on then, got
a groat reputation for himself for loyalty, he being
Captain of the Hom.e Guards of that part of the country.
The excitement over tl:o situation in the different
states in the South and in the North as well, was of the
sort that has never been ec; nailed in this country. In
the border states especially, Maryland, Virginia and
Kentucky, much bitterness prevailed. Very often it was
that father and sons of the same family differed in
political opinions to the extent sometimes of making

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 13

bitter enemies of those who were a little while ago of
one family and one blood.

The *'Dred Scott Decision" "States Rights" "Se-
cession" filled tlie newspapers every day and every
week. Argument and discussion of these and kindred
({uestions took up nearly all the time of the people, and
tliis condition of things was common to every neighbor-
hood and to all classes of citizens.

Tlicso discussions were not always in a friendly
spirit. I remember that two men in the village near
where I lived, were having an argument as to slavery.
^Ir. Monroe favored slavery and the other did not, in
the lieat of argument the other called Monroe a liar.
Tliey we]'e both large men, but Monroe seemed the
strongest and was very ungry, he rushed up to his
antagonist and grasped him by the chin whiskers and
the nose, opened the man's moutli and spit down his
throat.

Not far from May 1st, Governor Letcher, sent Col.
Porterfield to occupy Grafton. This being the end of
a railroad division and having a large number of men
in the shops as well, Porterfield found himself unable
to hold his position owing to the great number against
him.

Meeting to Decide

It happened that about this time we held a meet-
ing of Southern people at Romine's Mill to decide
whether we would volunteer and offer our services to
the government.

14 PERSONAL RECOLLP^CTIONS OF

Although the Virginia Convention had passed the
ordinance of secession it liad not as yet been voted on
by all the people.

A beautiful day dawned on us as we gathered on
the green at tlie school liouse at Romines Mills. John
•Hoffman, a lawyer, and afterwards a Brigadier General
in our army, was there and made us a speech. He read
several extracts from Horace Greeley's paper, which was
not calculated to mollify us very much. We also had
two or throe drums and fifes. Several enthusiastic war
speeches were made, interspersed with the inspiring
drum. During one of these musical moments a young
lady came riding by on a very spirited horse. The
animal seemed not used to such music and pranced and
plunged very much and had not the young lady been
en excellent rider, she would certainly have been thrown
from the horse. Finally she dismounted, about the time
the musicians became aware of the mischief they ware
doing. This young lady was Miss M. J. Fox. I did
not know her at that time, but I met her once in 1863
while on a scout in '\Vc>st Virginia and we were married
in October, 1866.

I must put down one tiling that Col. llothmin said
that day: "Gentlemen, I am a volunteer. I am going
with you. The trouble with me is that I am afraid I
can't fight. I'm afraid I will run. I hope you will
help me along and overlook my faults". As a matter
of fact if John Hoffman was not the bravest, he was
about the bravest man I ever saw.

My brother L. S. Cammack and I volunteered that
day in the service of Virginia. We expected to be or-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 15

^anized in a company witli Maj. Armsby, as our Cap-
tain. Maj. Armsby was a nei{?hbor, rip:ht popular in
the neighborhood, and knew something: of militaiy
affairs.

When we went home that evening and reported that
we had volunteered, fathiT and mother were grreatly
worried, especially about my goin<?, only sixteen years
and four months old. Well, they thought it over and
finally mother said she would rather we went both to-
{?ether than one alone, so finally to my prreat joy it was
underjjtood that when the company marched away, I
would be with them.

Three days later on the 18th of May, a horseman
came rushinj,' up the pike from Clarksburj? and reported
that an order had come from Col. Porterfield at Grafton
for all the reinforcements that could be had — that the
enemy were about to destroy his small force.

Another messenger had been sent to West Milford,
where we had some men. There was not time to or-
ganize another company and we went down to Clarks-
burg that evening with IS men and boys and met the
Milford Contingent and went into the Clarksburg Com-
pany under the command of Capt. U. M. Turner, W. P.
Cooper, First Lieut., Novt».l Lewis Second Lieut. Maj.
Armsby, was aftenvards made a Lieut, in our Company
at Philippi.

Enlisted at Clarksburg

We were quartered and there during the night. I
was at the home of Judge Lee. There were two com-

16 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

panics of Union men and one company of Confederates
in Clarksburg.

The next morning the Clarksburg men under Capt.
Turner paraded in front of the principal hotel prepara-
tory to marching to Grafton.

One of the most remarkable things that I have
ever known of occured there. The Union Companies
ktamo around, most of them willing to talk and such
expressions as these could be heard: ''Well Tom, you're
going South I see. Well, goodbye, I guess the next time
I see you will be in battle." ''So long, you'll catch the
devil when we do get to fighting, alright, all right."
Neither side kept their guns the night before. By agree-
ment the arms were locked up in the county jail.

]\rany of tlie men shook hands with their foes and
sometimes there were kindly expressions of good bye.

Fifty years is a long period of time, looking back
across the intervening years. I think there are only
a few of the people that I knew then that are alive now,
of the few that are, I know the whereabouts of only
one here and there. Of the nearly one hundred, who
left Clarksburg witli us that morning in the long ago.
there is but about a dozen of them on the earth today.
Some were killed in battle, some died of wounds, some
of sickness incident to camp life and of those who
escaped the war, some have fallen all along the wayside
and few yet- remain. The Lord has been very gracious
to me. I am in reasonably good health and have been
successful enough in business to gather about me most
of the comforts and necessities of life.

The Company marched down the street to the home
of the Hon. Beverly Lurty, who came to his veranda

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 17

and made a very enoouraginor speech, bidding us God
Speed.

We then went on to Bridgeport and there listened
to a fine speech of Mr. Johnston a venerable ex-govemor
of Virginia. Several miles below Bridgeport, one of
our scouts came back and reported the enemy close in
front. There was great excitement. Some of the men
did not even have guns. One of the men from Milford
got a small fence stake, saying that this was good enough
to fight with. It is hardly necessary to say that there
was no enemy at this time, but that some body got
scared and imagined he saw one.

Early Losses

It was at this point that we lost two of our most
war-like members in the persons of two big politicians
who were well mounted and had been aching for a fight
all day. When they thought the fight was imminent they
suddenly remembered that they had important engage-
ments back in ('larksburg, and they spurred their horses
in that direction. I never saw either of them again
until after the war.

We halted late that evening at Fetterman,
wliere we remained several days and were reinforced by
Capt. Thompson's company, kno\vn as the Marion
Guards.

I do not remember the date of the state election
on the matter of secession, but it occurred near this time.
Secession carried from one extreme of the state to the
other and preparations for war went on.

18 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

A Warm Reception

One afternoon Col. Porterfield marshalled his little
army and. moved into Grafton. We had about 250 in
line. As we were movinp: into the west end of town we
lieard a tremendous noise of shouting which we thought
was joy at our cominp:. It was not. Nearly the whole
population was out on the streets, but they were not
cheerinfT. They were shoutinp: and cursing and abusing
us dreadfully. There were about 30 men on horse-
l)ack, who followed immediately behind the infantry as
wo entered the town. My father road at the head of
this company of horsemen. "When a short way iu the
town, some men ran immediately in front of the horse-
men, carrying a very long United States Flag. They
stretched it entirely across the street. The flag was
held so that it was nearly five feet high. My father
spurred his horse forward and jumped the flag. One
hind foot of the horse caught as he jumped and one of
the men let go of the flag. At the same moment a man
on the top of the house threw a chair at my father, but
missed him and struck the son of the ex-Govcrnor on
the head. It hurt him very badly, but not a shot was
fired and no other harm done at that time.

First Man Killed

We were held for about an hour on the platform
of the old railroad hotel and it seemed to me we had
an officer for about every six men and all of them beg-
ging the men not to shoot. Practically the whole town
was out in the street above us cursing and calling us

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 19

Ugly names. I think that was about the longest hour
I ever spent.

Late in the evening we marched back to Fetterman.
About nine o'clock that night our sentrj^ was approach-
ed by tw^o men Wilson and Brown, coming along the
railroad track. When within about sixty feet the sentry,
Knight, ordered them to halt. For an answer one of
the men fired a pistol, the bullet hitting Knight in the
cheek. He immediately raised his rifle and fired, strik-
ing "Wilson in the breast, from which wound he died
in less than an hour. There was a great deal of com-
motion, especially, when it was known that the man
who was killed was intoxicated and had sworn when
he left Grafton, that he would have some Rebel blood
that night or go to hell. I guess he went.

A large number of Grafton men organized and
came down on the opposite side of the river about two
o'clock, intending to cross the bridge there and attack
the garrison. I was one of the men on guard duty at
the bridge. They came close, but they reflected and did
not attack.

Things Begin to Happen

History began to make very rapidly after this. In
two days we went to Grafton and occupied it. We
had now nearly five hundred men. Someone arranged
to reduce our number, by poisoning our bread at the
bakery, but fortunately it was found out in time to
save ourselves.

About this time Gen. ^IcClellan came down the
railroad from Parkersburg with about 3,500 men. We

20 PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF

felt impelled to go away from Grafton, so we fell back
on Philippi which was eighteen miles away. As we
crossed the bridge, leaving Grafton in a hurry it must be
confessed, the citizens came out and greeted us with
such clieering messages as these. ' * Hello, fellows, why
do you go off in such a hurry?" ''Stay a while longer."
''General McClellan won't do a thing but capture you
and put you in jail." We arrived at Philippi late in
the evening. Here our colnpany was quartered in the
courthouse. We were re-inforced by three or four
hundred men. I was mustered into the service at
Pliilippi and learned afterwards that my age was put
down as 21. The officer putting it that way instead of
17, my real age, thinking that I would not get in if
my real age were known.

A Brave Talker

While at Philippi, Capt. Stofer, a lawyer from up
in Pocahontas, favored us with his presence. He was
■a broad, heavy-set man and ([uite fond of making
speeches. He had a peculiar voice and a supreme con-
fidence in wliipping any force tliat could be brought
against us. One evening being called upon for a speech,
he mounted a store box and among other tilings de-
clared: ''Gentlemen, I could take a peach tree switch
arid whip all of Lincoln's 75,000 Yankees if they invade
Virginia." " I might say here that the Capt. was no^
cut out for a military man. He was a little later cap-
tured and then released, and then went back to the
quiet of his home, and left his soldiering to the rest
of us.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 21

McCIellan Attacks Us

Gen McCIellan sent up a strong force, about 3,000
men, the first of June, dividing it into three columns.
Ono was to attack us in front, one crossed the river
some distance below to attack us in the flank, and the
other to cross the river above us and form in the road
and in the timber in our rear. It seems to me that if
Col. Porterfield had set out to help McCIellan he could
not have done it any more siiccessfully than he did.

Early Sunday morning we were ordered to move.
We were all ready before sunrise. Then he counter-
manded the order and we were told to drop out of ranks
and await orders. This we did, having scarcely any-
thing to eat all day. That night he ordered all the
pickets in at nine o'clock. There was a very hea\'y
rainfall that night, but the enemy, in spite of this,
marched from Grafton and at day light opened his
artillery within 300 yards of our camp. Of course
there was nothing left for us to do hut to get out of
Town quickly. We would all have been captured that
da}^ were it not for the fact that the flanking columns
missed their way and the attack on our flank and rear
was not made.

Some few years ago, some over enthusiastic citizens
of Philippi decided that they would stage a big celebra-
tion of this first battle at Philippi and they sent me a
beautifully engraved invitation to be present. I like
a celebration as well as anybody, but as I reviewed the
events which transpired when I met, or almost met, Gen.
McCIellan at Philippi and when I went away from
Philippi in something of a hurry, leaving a nicely cooked

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

breakfast for some Yankee to eat, I was unable to think
of any reason why I should go back to Philippi and
celebrate, so I did not go.

We fell back to Beverly, thirty miles. I do not
remember seeing Col. Porterfield after that day. I
heard that he was court martialed and dismissed from
the service.

A Lawyer Leaves Us

When the company got into line the morning of
the attack at Philippi, George Lurty, a lawyer, was with
us, being placed on the left of the company, where the
short men were usually placed. George heard the order
for Company C to cover the retreat. He had other
plans. He took a sneak immediately in the direction of
Beverly. Instead of covering the retreat, he broke for
the rear, first throwing his gun over the fence. A
passing Cavalryman gave him a lift after persistent
requests to do so, but the saddle turned and they both
fell off. Lurty was in so much of a hurry that he did
not want to be bothered with a horse and he ran on.
The cavalryman yelled for him to stop while he fastened
the saddle on, but George would not stop. He climbed
into a wagon driven by a countryman and told him for
heaven ^s sake to whip up, that there were 17,000 Yankees
right behind him. George reached Beverly six hours
before the rest of us did and we really did not linger
on the road any longer than was necessary.

Incidents at Beverly

At Beverly we went to an old Tavern and waited
our turn at the supper table. We were all beastly hun-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK Zi

o:ry. I remember we stoo<i behind the chairs, waiting
for the men who were eating to get up.

The next morning, early, an alarm was sounded,
and ever^'body turned out into the streets, including
the women and children. Tliere was a tall young man,
by the name of Armstrong, from Clarksburg, with' us.
He was out at the barn. When the alarm was sounded,
he came boupiding up through the garden. There was
a fence and a stile, but ^Mr. Armstrong did not pay
attention to either. lie cleared the strile at a jump.
This was because he was excited. The enemy did not
come and so we waited until nine o'clock that night,
when we were ordered to fall Itack to Huttonsville, eleven
miles. The mud was awfully deep and every little while
we had to get down into the mud and lift the wagons
out of a hole. About three o'clock in the morning, my
brother and I turned aside into a bam, almost tired to
death, covered with mud, and lay down on the bam
floor, and .slept until morning. A boy came into the
bam yelling that the Yankees were coming, but we were
so tired that we were almost willing to let them come.
We went to a farm house where they furnished us with
buck wheat cakes and we had a great breakfast.

At Huttonsville we were joined by several new
companies, among them Shoemaker's battery of artillery.
It was here that Gen. Garnet t joined us and took com-
mand.

Major Chenowith

While at Huttonsville I got very well acquainted
with a splendid and dashing young oflBcer, Major Cheno-

24 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

with, who was on Gen. Garnett's staff. He spent some
time testing out the new recruits. I met him at close
range one night when I was on picket duty. The Major
was making the rounds of the guards. He came to me
and entering into conversation, became exceedingly
friendly. At last in a familiar way he asked me to
let him handle m.y gun. This I refused, whereupon he
went away, apparently very angry. He did get hold
of the gun of two or more of the pickets while he stayed
there, and they got into serious trouble about it.

I was on guard with a number of men at the bridge
one night, when some horsemen rode up and Chenowith
seemed to be in command. He said he wanted to cross
the bridge but had no written orders from the General.
I refused to let them pass. He swore he would cross
the river just above the bridge. I told him if he did
I would fire upon him. He then demanded that the
Officer of the Guard, Lieut. Galvin, be called. This
was done but Galvin would not let liim pass and they
both grew angry. Finally the Major had to withdraw.
Major Chenowith was a gallant soldier and was killed
at the battle of Port Republic in 1862.

Laurel Hill

G^'neral Garnett ordered a forward movement to
Laurel Hill, which was just across the mountain from
what is now the town of Elkins. We had been joined
by the 23rd Virginia Lifantry and by the first Georgia
Infantry.

The first Georgia Infantry was made up largely of
rich men's sons. Thev came richlv dressed and some of

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 25

the boys were attended by two body servants, valet and
cook. Some of the fellows got dreadfully homesick. It
was here that o^o of them having a sharp hatchet in his
hand was so homesick that he deliberately cut off three
of his toes and otherwise manfrled his foot, and beinor
wounded and useless as a soldier was sent back home.

We did a great deal of drilling here. Part of it
under a dashing young officer, Lieut. Washington. We
had also with us one of the finest looking young men
I ever met, Lieut. Gatewood, he was from Bath county,
Virginia. He was educated at the Virginia Military
Institute at Lexington. He had one of the richest and
strongest voices I have ever heard.

Doing Picket Duty

Gen. McClellan came up to Belington with 7,000
men and laid seige to our position. On our right flank,
three-fourths of a mile from our camp, was an old mill
held by the enemy. We had a picket post half way
between the camp and the mill. One night I was on
guard at that post. The position ordered by the sen-
tinel was the most exposed and unmilitary one that
could have been thought of. I had to pace 100 feet
in an open clearing with the bright moon light shining
down on me and a deep beech wood 200 feet away on
all sides so dark and denae that my vision could not
penetrate it. WTien I had walked my beat about an
hour, I heard two men in the woods near me. They
walked entirely around my beat three times. I was in
the open and on the post nearest the enemy. For some
stransre reason no harm came to me. When I was re-

1»G • PERSONAL RKCOLLECTIONS OF

lieved I told what had occurred and urged that a change
be made. • The officer of the guard only laughed. The
next night the sentinel on that post was fired on by a
couple of men in the woods near him. But fortunately
the bullet only pierced his cartridge box and destroyed
some of his ammunition. After that they put three
men at this post.

My Brother Lucius was four years older than I
and was father and^ brother to me while he lived. I
found out afterwards that when my brother learned
that I had been sent to this dangerous post he went
secretly to the officer of the day and tried to take my
post and have me recalled, but the officer declined to
do it.

Shot at by Mistake

Generally when tlie Federals shot at us I am led
to believe that it was intentional, that they really would
have done us bodily harm if they could, but sometimes
we were in danger from our own men.

AYliile at Laurel Hill, (Jen. McClellan was at Bel-
ington with about 7,000 men. One evening six com-
panies of my regiment went down to relieve several com-
panies on guard in the woods just in front of the center
of the Federals. At a point in the road where we turned
up the hill to relieve our n)en we met Col. Taliaferro
• who had become separated from his command. Just as
we got in line we were fired upon from the top of the
hill. We were immediately ordered to charge up the
hill and to hold our fire until we could see the enemy.
There was a man to my left who did not like the idea

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 27

of charging up the hill, so he started and ran back.
Lieut. Gatewood halted him and told him that he would
shoot him if he did not make the charge with us. So
he figured that since he would get shot either way that
he might as well go up the hill, and he went with us.
We soon found that the whole thing was a mistake, for
we had been fired upon by four companies of the 23rd
Regiment which we had come to relieve, they, in the
twilight mistaking us for the enemy.

So far as I can remember this was the only instance
during the war that I was in such a dangerous place
and was not the least bit afraid.

The Laurel Hill Retreat

General Pegram had moved forward from Beverly
to Rich Mountain, about the time we advanced to Laurel
Hill. McClellan attacked Rich Mountain and Pegram
capitualated the day before we retreated from Laurel
Hill. The Federals cannonaded and skirmished with
us several days before the retreat. McClellan flanked
us and would have gotten entirely in our rear, if we
had not hastily retreated.

For one hundred hours before the retreat, I was
on continuous picket duty on the mountain not far
from our camp, getting only snatches of sleep, ten
minutes at a time.

Several days before leaving Laurel Hill our Colonel
and seven companies of the 31st was sent down to the
old mill on our right flank. Col. Jackson gave very
strict orders that we hold that position at all hazards.
We had a large ill tempered fellow in the company,

28 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

a man by the name of Griffith. We were in an old mill
race which was dry and made very excellent breast
works, and we were told that the enemy was only 300
yards in front and would attack and charge. When
Griffith got this news he adopted the motto of ** Safety
First" and retired up the hill behind a big tree. Up
to this moment he had been very brave and let it be
kno^Ti as far as his voice would reach that he was a
jrreat fighter and was really yearning for excitement.

A Long Hard Retreat

1 Iiad been on picket duty for one hundred hours,
as I have stated, McClellan had almost surrounded us.
General Garnett found it necessary to retreat. It can
be readily imagined that many of us were in poor con-
dition to endure the hardships of what has since been
known as the Laurel Hill Retreat, which took us over
mountains and through rivers in rain and mud and
underbrush witli almost no food and no rest for six
(lays and nights.

AVe waded the Cheat river 24 times and had the
battle named after that river on one of th^se six days.
On the same day we lost our beloved commander Gen.
Garnett. I sat on a rock and put on my shoes within
ten feet of Gen. Garnett only a few minutes before he
was killed. McClellan was in our rear pressing us. Hill
was expected to attack us in front with 1,500 men. The
31st Regiment was sent forward to meet Hill, so my
company was not engaged in the battle at the Ford.
Gen. Garnett was sent for hurriedly to go back as the
enemy was making an attack on our rear. The Federals

PRIVATE JOHN HKxNRY CAMMACK 29

came across a bottom a third of a mile from the woods
and attacked our men as they were crossing the river.
We had Shoemaker's Battery and four brass guns
posted on the opposite side of the river. One gun was
put out of commission by a shot of the enemy striking
it fairly in the muzzle.

Gen. Garnett had crossed the river to the opposite
side, but detailed 20 men of the 23rd Virginia to guard
the balance of our wagons across tlie ford, while ho
went back to face the enemy. When the last group of
wagons was about midway of tlie stream, Gen. Garnett,
seeing that the enemy would kill or capture his guard,
ordered them to cross the river behind the wagons. The
guards refused to move unless he v/ould go with them.
This he would not do. When the men had gotten about
half way over the river, the general was about to start
in the water but was shot in the breast and killed. He
had been an instructor at West Point to Gen. McClellan,
the Federal officer, whose men were just across the
mountain pursuing him.

Gen. McClellan had Gen. Garnetts body prepared
for burial and then sent it through the lines to his home
for burial.

The enemy, as a matter of fact, lost more men at
Carrick's Fork than we did, although we were badly
crippled, McClellan did not push his advantage, be-
lieving that Gen. Hill would give us battle at Red House,
Maryland. This Hill did not do, although we lay badly
crippled, tired, hungry and demoralized within 200 feet
of his pickets. I understand that he was court mar-
tialed for not doing so. At this time we had lost
everything we had, except the artillery horses.

30 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

"We arrived at Red House, Maryland, about one
o'clock, Saturday night and laid dowTi on the side of
the road and slept until sunrise. We then took up the
line of retreat again and got back into Virginia at
Rocky River bridge. Two incidents occurred that are
worth mentioning. Our command had stopped on the
Maryland side o^' the river guarding the rear, A num-
ber of cows and calves were grazing near where we
camped. We had had nothing to eat for three days
and nights but two crackers each. Tom Reed, my bro-
ther and myself, killed a calf, stripped the hide from
a hind leg, cut out some meat and holding it over a
fire with our ram rods began to broil it. We had neither
salt nor bread to eat it with, but it tasted good.

Even this meal was a short one. While w^e were
cooking the meat some cavalry hurried in and told us
the enemy was coming. We immediately crossed the
bridge and set it on fire.

A Comrade Divided up With Me

We started on our way in a hurry. The road was
dusty. The sun was hot and we had to climb a long
hill after leaving the bridge. While going up the hill.
I saw a young fellow eating a piece of raw^ fat side
meat. The grease and dirt, where his fingers dug into
the side meat as he held it, showed very plainly, but
I was not particular at that time. I did not know him,
but I asked him if he thought he had eaten enough of
that, and he said he had. He passed it over to me and
I took it and ate quite a lot of it, notwithstanding the

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 31

marks of his fingers, and the dirt and grrime from a
dusty road, for I was hungry-.

More than twenty years after this incident, and
after I had moved to Huntington I was standing in the
store of Deacon, J. N. Potts, talking over experiences
in the war. Dr. Wall and some one else was present.
I told this story giving it plenty of color and not fail-
ing to mention how dirty looking the man was who
gave me the meat They laughed about it, and then
Deacon Potts gave me the surprise of my life when he
said, **I was the man wlio gave you that meat." but
he said, *'Even now I feel like whipping you for the
way in which you referred to my appearance. ' ' Brother
Potts and I had been intimately associated from the
day I came to Huntington and have been the closest
personal friends up to this time and we will be to the
end of the road and beyond.

Another incident. My brother Lucius had had
whooping cough and was not very strong. Our shoes
had given entirely out. During the march we were
without food except a few crackers and the two meat
dinners that I have just mentioned. I\Iy brother gave
out and sat down by the roadside and encouraged me
to go on with the Company. I refused to leave him.
Capt. Cooper came along and finding that my brother
could get no further asked him if he had any money.
He said that he had spent his last cent the day before.
''Well", said Capt. Cooper, ''I am strong and will give
you all I have." He turned his back to us and put a
silver quarter in my brothers hand. It was all the
money that Capt. Cooper had. He finally got sti*ong

32 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

enougrh to travel slowly and we found our way through
the woods to the home of a man who had nothing in his
house to eat but a few small onions. He told us that
if we would go to the big white house, about two miles
away, that we would get something to eat, as his wife
was up there cooking for the soldiers.

We finally reached the big white house and found
our cavalry rear guards there trying to get something
to eat. The road in front of the house was a mass of
men and horses. I went back to the kitclien and told
an old colored woman tliat if slie would get me some
corn bread and buttermilk I would give her a quarter.
'*Well honey," she said, '*you come into de kitchen and
when I lifs up the top of the oven you grab." I did
this three times and we liad a royal meal. I never
remember eating anything in my life that tasted as
good. ]\Iy brother was greatly strengthened for it was
the first real food that we had had in aliout four days,
lu the strength of this food, we traveled skirting along
ill tlie woods and fields until two o'clock that night,
when we caucrht up with our command.

We Kept on Going

Then we came to Petersburg in Hampshire County.
Here we got flour and some of us thinking we had plenty
of time, carried our flour away up in the town to have
it baked. AVe got hold of a big chunk of beef and were
having that baked but, before we had the bread baked
or the beef cooked, those blamed Yankees came tearing
down on us with a rush and we had to leave the place
hungry and in a very bad humor. We waded across the

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 33

river, which at that point is about 150 yards wide and.
while not very deep, had a slippery bottom on account
of the large boulders.

The next thing I remember was a great crowd of
friendly people who came in to see us at Franklin in
Pendleton County and brought great loads of provisions
to us. The men were nearly perished and certainly not
very polite, and it finally ended by men getting in each
wagon and throwing out meat and bread and pies and
cakes, like a farmer throws corn to his hogs. We almost
had a riot at tliis point when it was reported that some
of the provisions brought in by the farmers were taken
by the officers and sold to the soldiers. This may or
may not have been true. I did not believe it, and think
that it grew out of the imagination of a lot of half
starved men.

From this place, it was only about 25 miles to
Monterey in Highland County, Virginia, the end of the
retreat. We were joined here by the 3rd Arkansas
Regiment, ucder Col. Rust, ;i very brave and impetuous
officer, also by another four gun battery and two com-
j)anies of cavalry. After being there about two weeks
we all moved forward to Greenbrier river at the west
foot of the Alleghany mountains at a place which we
named Camp Bartow.

At Camp Bartow

At ^Monterey we had a man about forty years old,
belonging to our company, by the name of George Arbo,
he was very untidy, not to say dirty and he had an
enormous appetite. I do not know how much he really

34 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

could eat, but I remember one evening at supper, seeing
him drink six pint tin cups of coffee. I think he liked
coffee.

While at Camp Bartow, Capt. Stofer, whom I have
mentioned before as to making a speech at Philippi in
which he said we could lick all of Lincoln's soldiers
with a peach tree switch, came in to camp again. He
was visibly subdued. He had been a prisoner and had
just made his escape. He still wore his black, long
tailed coat, or at least what was left of it. After run-
ning as hard as he had for so many days to avoid meet-
ing some of Lincoln's men, he was very docile. So far
as I know after that, he took no active part in the war.

Here we were increased in number by the 44th
Virginia, tlie 12th Georgia, with Col. Edward E. Johns-
ton, and by Hanshaws battery of infantry, and by the
25th Virginia battery of infantry, with Maj. Rogers.
Soon after tliis my brother Lucius was on picket at the
foot of Cheat mountain, having some men on the post
with hira. Two cavalry videttes were out in front of
them and discovered about 60 men in blue at the top
of Cheat mountain. These men rode by the post and
yelled to the boys tliat the enemy was coming. Almosc
before they could get ready the enemy double quicked
around the turn in platooji formation. Two of the
pickets ran without firing, but my brother and a man
by the name of Slocum fired at the enemy about 60
yards away. They then had to run to escape capture.
Slocum escaped. My brother, who was sickly, could
not run so well. He climbed a fence and started across
a little meadow. The Federals rested their guns on
the fence and fired at him. One bullet pierced his right

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 35

arm, two cut liim across the right shoulder and one
across the right hip. He was the first man in this
regiment to be wounded. After a long time the wounds
healed, but his right arm was crooked and there was
only strength in his fingers to pull a trigger.

He was taken to a hosi)ital in Harrisonburg, Va.
and even before his wounds healed he took typhoid
fever, which nearly ended his life. But he recovered
and soon after entered the 10th Virginia infantry, in
Capt. Milhorn's company.

The Cheat Mountain Expedition

Shortly after my brother was wounded, 1,600 men
volunteered under Col. Rusk, to go on what was known
as the Cheat Mountain Expedition. The Federals were
well entrenched and fortified on top of Cheat mountain.
One group was to take a guide and go to the rear of
the fortifications on Cheat mountain and a simultaneous
attack was to be made by Gen. Henry Jackson on the
front with 2,900 men.

I was a volunteer w^ith the 1,600 men who went in
the rear of the enemy's camp and fortifications. "We
were three days and nights getting into position in
rear of the enemy's ca.np. (^'heat mountains are a long
range paralleling the Allejj-hanies and very close to
them on the west. Our party (the 1,600) was made
up of volunteers from all the commands and the hope
was that we could take the summit of the mountain
where the Parkersburg and Staunton pike crosses. The
place was well fortified, having a block house, with
heavy guns in it in the center of the camp and heavy

36 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

rifle pitts entirely around. This place was defended
by 3,200 men, when we started, but they must
have gotten wind of our movements, for the
nigrht before the attack they were reinforced
by 3,000 men.

We reached our j)osition in the rear of the enemy,
after a horrible trip in the mountains, probably 50
miles. \Ve waded down the Cheat river, over five miles,
because the laurel was so thick on the banks we could
not f^et throujrh. Sometimes the water was almost up
to our necks. At nine o'clock, the night before the
attack, we were a mile and one half from the enemy.
Every thread of clothing on us was soaked by the rain
and the river. It rained on us continually five days
and nights. We lay down on the mountain, over a mile
from the camp, having cut brushes off the trees to put
under us. It was absolutely dark. There was not one
ray of light. Not a word was spoken above a whisper,
for two days and nights. When we moved forward that
night, each man held on to the jacket or belt of his
file leader, ^lany slii)ped and fell and some were right
much hurt. My company, C of the 31st Virginia, com-
manded by Capt. Cooper, was deployed a third of a
mile west of the enemy's fortification. The enemy not
knowing that we were there sent a large detachment
down to relieve picket guard. When they were opposite
our company we fired. This alarmed the camp above
us and they sent probably a thousand men and two
pieces of artillery to attack us. There were only a
few casualties, but we captured 90 men.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 37

Too Much For Us

At this juncture a council of war was held and
it was discovered that 3,000 men had come to the enemy
the night before. Rusk and one other officer favored
an immediate attack, but all of the others opposed it.
Then Col. Rusk began to withdraw his men, but in his
hurry he forgot our company. We came very near being
captured. The enemy had a heavy column on each side
of our flank. We got out and caught the rear of our
forces, three fourths of a mile away. Col Rusk came
back and finding that we did not have our knap sacks
and equipment, asked where they were. We had strip-
ped for the fight and liad left them. He made a sharp
order for us to go back and get them. We were in the
extreme rear of the command and in single file. We
about faced and started hack, Seargent, Bill Taylor,
being in advance. When we got down in sight of our
baggage, I turned and looked back and there were only
seven of us. Soon I looked again and everybody had
gone but Bill Taylor and myself.

The enemy was going up on either side of us and
we would soon be entirely cut off. The Yankees were
punching bayonets into our baggage and shooting holes
in it. Taylor insisted on shooting at them, but I
strongly urged that he should not do so. Finally I got
Bill away and we caught up with the army. We lost
the 90 prisoners we had captured and 40 of our own
men.

After almost incredibh^ hardships, returning by
the same route, wading this time up the river, as we
had before waded down for over five miles, having lost

38 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

over 200 of our men, having lost our prisoners, thorough-
ly dispirited, tired and hungry, we got back into camp.

The main body of the army, under Gen. Jackson,
had made at attack on the enemy's front but were re-
pulsed. Jackson and his men got back to camp several
days before we did. It would be impossible to describe
the condition of our men when we returned to Camp
Bartow, foot-sore, weary, half starved, ragged, dirty,
discouraged and many of them sick.

General Reynolds Attacks

After recruiting, resting and drilling a long time,
we were in pretty good shape when Gen. Reynolds at-
tacked us on October 3, 1861. We had the 31st Virginia,
23rd Virginia, 1st and 12tli Georgia, 25th Virginia Batt.,
two four gun batteries and two or three cavalry com-
pardes. General Jackson commanded. Reynolds attack-
ed early in the morning. The largest part of the fight-
ing was done by artillery. We had about 2,500 men and
the Federals 3,500. They attacked us while we occupied
a fine position on the foot hills of the Alleghanies. Two
of our cannons fired over our heads about fifteen feet
above us on the side of the mountain. The gun just
above me fired 85 times, and the reports were deafening
to me. !My hearing was badly injured by the noise. A
gunner in the company next to me performed a very
heroic action during the fight. The enemy was throw-
ing shells at us. One fell above the rifle pits and rolled
down among the men before bursting. This gunner
grabbed the shell and threw it out just 2 seconds be-
fore it burst. Had he not done this it would probably
have killed and wounded a larere number of our men.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 30

During this engap:ement in the forenoon the camp
jjjuard had not been relieved. The men were pacing
their beats in front of the regiment when a thirteen inch
shell came across. It seems to have struck the commis-
sary building at the foot of the hill, then, ricocheting,
struck the ground once, then struck the gun of a sen-
tinel. He was at support arms. The point of the shell
struck the barrel near the last band and, reversing ends,
struck the barrel just below the first band, doubling the
gun in the shape of a hooj) and knocking the sentinel
about twenty feet. Strangely enough, the sentinel was
not much hurt. lie got up, found his gun, went up to
the colonel's quarters and speaking as though he was
greatly at fault in the matter, said, "Colonel, my gun
is knocked all to pieces and I want to know if you will
give me another one." I was present at the moment
and Col. Jackson said, "Yes, indeed," but you send
that old gun home to your people. Nothing like that
has ever happened to anyone before."

John, Dan and Ed Smith were in my company,
but for two weeks, John had been away sick. When
they heard the roar of the guns, during the fight, some-
one notified Dan and myself, that Mr. Smith and John
had come and were on our right in a ravine, being
stopped there by an officer. We got permission to go
to Mr. Smith, who was 73 years old, paralyzed on one
side, had very little use of himself and had to be helped
on and off his horse. When we got to him the old man
was angry and was contending with an officer, who would
not let him go into the fight. I said, "Mr. Smith, you
must not go up that bank for you will be hurt." He
said, "What do you mean, sir? My blood is as rapid

40 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

now as it ever was." We could do nothing with him,
and an officer compelled him to keep under the hill out
of the range of musketry until the engagement was over.
The fight lasted about eight and one half hours,
and at its conclusion we held our position and the enemy
retreated to his block house, ten miles away, on the top
of Cheat mountain.

My Cousin Willie Manly

During our stay at Camp Bartow, my cousin, Wil-
lie ^lanly of the 44th Virginia infantry, took typhoid
fever and when the doctor found that he was going to
die, they sent for his fatlier to come to get him. The
only means of transportation back over the mountain
was in heavy army wagons.

Uncle Peter got the boy in one of them and they
reached Hightown at the end of the first day and camp-
ed. Before morning the spirit of cousin Willie departed
and Uncle Peter kept on liome to Fluvanna County with
the dead body of his boy.

Willie was a fine, manly fellow and a good soldier.
Once while he was sick in a big hospital tent, I went
to see him and he said, "Cousin Henry, won't you bring
me a canteen of that good cold spring water behind your
camp." I said I would and I went and got it, but the
doctors would not let him have the cold water and the
nurse hung the canteen up. Poor boy, that night he
watched the chance and crawled out of bed and drank
so much water that the doctor said it would kill him
and I suppose it did.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 41

Col. Edward E. Johnson

Col. Jolinson was a Georprian and an old Army
officer before the war. He came to Virginia in command
of the 12th Georgia. lie was a man of undoubted
courage and a good officer. One or two incidents will
show his character.

At Camp Bartow, while commander of the army,
he used to ride about to his picket posts at very un-
reasonable hours and often found his sentinels not ex-
pecting him. One rainy night he went up the mountain
road a couple of miles, unattended. When within 60
feet of the post, the sentry halted him and ordered
him to dismount, hands up, bridle rein over arm, ad-
vance and give the countersign. This was alright and
the General dismounted and came up. He was halted
within twenty feet of the sentry. ''Halt, and counter-
sign," shouted the sentry. "I have no countersign, I
am Gen. Johnson." "I don't know who you are and
I don't care who you are, mark time, march." The
general was compelled to mark time while the sentinel
sent the word out the line for the Officer of the Guard.
The mud was deep, but the sentry kept the General
marking time until the officer came and relieved him.

The General complimented the sentry very much
of his soldierly way of doing. The sentry told some of
the boys later that he knew the old *Son of a Gun' all
the time but he wanted to get even because the General
had put him in the guardhouse once for getting drunk.

At the battle of Alleghany Mountain, Gen, Johnson
was marching along the hill with the men and carrying

42 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

a stick about two feet long waving it before his eyes,
and yelling, ''Give *em Hell boys. Give 'em Hell."

At McDowell, the General was shot in the foot as
he was leading his men up the hill into the fight. One
of his old regiment, seeing him laying close to the lines
as they went up the hill, turned out and said, "Oh,
General are you hurt, can I help you?" ''No Sir,
Damn you, you go on up the hill into the fight, you are
just trying to get out of it."

At Camp Yeager

About the 25th of November, we went back up
tlie mountain to Yeagers, wliere we went into camp and
fortified.

On the 13th of December, our army was attacked
by the Federals from the toj) of Cheat Mountain. The
fight raged for nearly nine hours, but the enemy was
driven back with very heavy loss. Our losses, also were
severe. Our Company C lost eighteen, killed and
wounded out of about 42 men in the fight. Out of our
commissioned and non-commissioned officers, everyone
but myself was killed, wouTided or missing. I was a
Corporal at the time and the command of the company
devolved on me for two weeks. We buried six of our
men in one grave, and I commanded the firing party.

We lost a great man tli^re in the person of Capt.
Anderson, a Captain of Artillery. He saw some men
in the edge of the woods toward Greenbank. Supposing
them to be our Greenbank pickets driven in, he rode
out and called to them to come on in. The men raised
their guns and fired, killing him instantly. It was a

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 4;^

detachment of the enemy that had slipped up through
the woods and impersonated our men. The Captain
had been a soldier in ^lexico and in the Indian Wars
and was killed in his 58th battle.

The night following the battle, I was dreadfully
busy. We had to go over a field hunting for the wound-
ed. I remember that up on the side of the mountain,
about eleven o'clock, we found several wounded Yan-
kees. One of them was shot through the thigh and
groin. He swore frightfully, cursing every one of us
and saying, *'If our men had all fought like I did,
there would have been none of you left to tell the tale.
Poor fellow, he died the next day.

Very many incidents might be related of the Battle
of Alleghany Mountains and of camp life here that
might be interesting, but I have not time to dwell on
these things now. Fifty years have gone by and much
has been entirely forgotten and some things though
partially remembered are now hazy and indistinct.

I find it especially difficult to remember names and
dates of long ago. Men that I was familiarly acquainted
with and some of them that I can see in my minds eye,
almost as plain as a picture of them would be, are now
entirely forgotten as to their names.

Sent to a Hospital

About January 1st, 1862, our surgeons said that
if I could be taken to the hospital at Staunton, Virginia,
I would probably get well again. Col. Edward John-
son, mentioned above, in command of the brigade, swore
that **No man strong enough to sit up in his bed and

44 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

pull a trigger should go." After considerable effort
on the part of Brigade Surgeon Bland, and his assistant
Dr. Buttermore, I was taken to Cow Pasture river,
where they had to leave me for some days in order that
I might be strong enough to go on to the hospital at
Staunton.

I think I remained at Staunton until April, when
we were sent on to Lynchl)urg. Two incidents of my
stay at Staunton come to me just now that I will relate.

In the previous fall my trip in the attack on Cheat
Mountain had caused me to take a dreadful cold and
ray fall in the river had brought a great sore on my
left leg, which finally spread up to my body and down
to the ankle. Among other troubles from this cause
came an abscess on my neck on the left side, which grew
as large as a pint cup. Dr. Minor, the chief Surgeon,
fearing it would break inside, in which case he said I
would die, decided to open it. Two surgeons came to
do this and wanted to give me an anesthetic, which I
refused. Then, said Dr. Elinor, ''I shall arrange the
matter by having three men hold you during the opera-
tion." This scared me worse than ever, and I declared
I would not submit to this, but if he would allow it, I
would sit on a chair and grip it strongly and be per-
fectly .still during the operation. Dr. Minor insisted
that I could not do this and that if I flinched or at-
tempted to evade the knife in any way, it would prob-
ably be fatal to me. I do not know how I summoned
enough nerve, but I did. They made two incisions
of about two and one half inches across horizontally
and there came out a quart of puss.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 45

The other incident was this : After I began to get
better and was allowed to walk about the grounds, a
comrade from Philippi and myself were often tojrethcr
and we agreed that as we were not given enough to eat,
we would get some on the side. We bought a fat hen
and some butter and flour and agreed with one of the
cooks at tlie hospital to give him all he could eat of
our pie for baking it. 1 remember Fred and I sat in
front of the kitchen window and waited and waited
for that pie to get done. Finally when we were nearly
starved, the man came out carrying our pie in a big
stove pan, just as he had taken it from the oven. We
ate enougli to kill us, but it didn't hurt us a bit. I
have always thought well of myself for the part I had
as to that chicken pie.

At Lynchburg

About 225 of us were taken to Lynchburg in April
and put in an improvised liospital. The building had
formerly been used as a tobacco factory.

One morning I woke up in this place and found
two dead men, one on either side of me. The cots were
about two and one half feet apart. There were about
160 patients in the factory, a large brick building with
a partition running through the middle, the partition
having arched openings between.

One of our men, Geo. Lurty, had his jaw broken
by Lieut. Jim Galvin on Alleghany Mountain in a
drunken brawl. I had hf^lped him by poulticing his
jaw and otherwise doctoring him. He was also in
Tjynchburg. By this time the wound in his jaw had

46 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

separated and had produced a round hole in the jaw.
I was on the street one day and heard George convers-
ing with a very nice old citizen. George was telling
lilm about the battle of Alleghany Mountain and how
he was shot through the cheek. I do not .remember
liow long I stayed at Lynchburg. I was afflicted with
a hurt I had received the previous summer at Cheat
river, when we attacked Cheat Mountain stronghold.
I had fallen in the river and hurt my knee, as mentioned.
There cam.e something like a blood boil on my knee. This
developed into a sore, which extended up to my waist
and down to my ankle. I suppose I must have taken
cold, which caused this sore. In addition to this, I
was worn out and run down to such an extent that the
head doctor held a consultation with the surgeon and
decided that I would not get well. So they decided
that they would make me ward master in the building
where I was, and if I declined that honor, they would
discharge me from the service. I very promptly de-
clined the position of ward master, which place I had
not the physical strength to fill. Soon after that they
sent me to my regiment for discharge. The oversight
or meanness of sending me to my regiment for discharge,
consisted in sending me off without furnishing me with
either transportation or money, and I was so weak that
T could .scarcely walk a square.

Soon after getting on the train, going from Lynch-
burg to Charlottsville and realizing that I had no money,
T curled up on a seat. 'When the conductor came by he
did not waken me or ask for fare. I heard him say
**Poor Fellow, he is sick," and passed on.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 47

At Charlottsville, I changed to the Virginia Cen-
tral, now the C. & 0. and carae to Staunton. I had
known this conductor from a boy. When I told him
who my father was, he remembered him well and carried
me without pay. At Staunton I cought a wagon going
to camp, eight miles away and got back to the old Regi-
ment again. They believed from the Surgeon's report
from Lynchburg, that I would not live long and gave
me my discharge and pay. The pay was in confeder-
ate money, but the depreciation at that time was not
more than 25 per cent. I was getting $13.50 per month,
and while I had four months back pay, it did not go
very far. Soon after this, I went down to Uncle Peter
Manly 's in Fluvanna County to get well.

Back Into the Service

I came back to the valley, after a little while, and
met Jackson's forces (Stonewall) coming up from Win-
chester, where he had achieved a great victory, had
captured many prisoners and nearly 4,000 wagon loads
of provisions and ammunition. My brother Lucius, who
had been so badly wounded at the foot of Cheat Moun-
tain, the fall before, was at this time in the Valley with
Jackson and had charge( of a large train of ordnance
supplies, captured at Winchester. My brother was an
Ordnance Officer on Stonewall Jackson's staff. 2,300
prisoners were brought in ahead of the army and sent
to Richmond via Staunton. As before stated, I was
sick and could hardly get about, but I had an oppor-
tunity to ride a horse to Staunton and supposing that
Jackson would follow right on to Staunton I went up

48 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

the valley. Next day I found that Jackson had turned
off the Valley pike, south of Harrisonburg and taken the
Fort Republic road.

About one half mile from where Jackson left the
pike there is a piece of timber land. A school house
stood in this timber, and it was here that Gen. Turner
Ashby was killed on the evening of the day I went up
to Staunton. On the following morning, learning that
Jackson's army had gone to Fort Republic, I turned
and came down to ^It. Sidney, pushing on by a road
Southeast of that point. I nearly ran into the soldiers
of the opposing army, and into the battle of Cross Keys.
I could not reach our forces by that route. The follow-
ing morning I went down to the Virginia Central, some
ton miles, on iiiy way to Fort Republic. I got within
a mile of town. Jackson had defeated the enemy at
Cross Keys, had crossed the river that night and in
the early morning had given battle to Gen. Shields,
just below Port Republic. ' When T had gotten near
the town, I had been meeting a lot of ambulances,
wagons, men on horseback and a good many on foot,
but everything was in confusion. I could learn noth-
ing of what was going on. Of course I could hear the
booming of cannons and the rattle of small arms, but
just at tliis point, two or tlirce olTicers rode hurriedly
from tlie direction of Port Republic and ordered every-
one going in that direction to turn and hurry to the
rear so as to give way to the retiring troups.

Tt was probably nine hours later, after we had all
turned back that I learned that Jackson had defeated
Shields. There was no action during the war that I
regretted not being in more than this one. To be sure

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 49

I was on the sick list and was under no obligations to
be in it, but mj'- brother was there and I wanted more
than I can tell, to be with him. But I had no horse,
and was scarcely able to walk. I shall always believe
that the officers that came out of the town that morning
and turned us back were getting out of the fight them-
selves.

Cross Keys and Port Republic

It was at Port Republic in the early dawn of the
morning, that Stonewall Jackson started across the
bridge. Whether he knew the enemy was theve or not
I cannot tell. Wlien he came within twenty feet of
the muzzle of a gun, the men who manned it all being
in their places, his quick wit and courage saved him.
He demanded, **who ordered this gun placed here?"
They supposing him to one of their own officers in
authority, were put out by his question and for a
moment fell away from the gun. Jackson spurred his
horse and dashed away from the bridge, and, although
they quickly discovered they had been sold out, they
fired and missed him.

These two battles, Cross Keys and Port Republic,
showed magnificant generalship on the part of Jack-
son. He came up the valley, apparently fleeing from
the enemy. P^remont, with a large army, mostly Ger-
mans, followed him up the Shenandoah Valley, while
Shields came up the Massonetta Valley parallel to the
other army, and not more than twenty miles apart.
Their plan probably was to form a junction near Staun-
ton and crush the Confederates. They evidently mis-

50 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

understood the kind of military brain that Jackson
carried under that old grey cap. After Port Republic
Jackson fell back to Brown's Gap.

The second day after the battle of Port Republic,
I went down the river on the East side of the Blue
Ridge and up to Brown's Gap, where Jackson had fal-
len back for safety and to rest his troops. Here I
found my brother Lucius laying under some small trees
and bushes, very sick and I think at times, unconscious.
He had undergone great hardships in the previous four
weeks. He had brought the captured stores out of
Winchester and had safely gotten thera out of the hands
of the enemy.

Taking My Brother's Place

I think it was the day following my reaching the
army that we had orders to move. Of course we did
not know where. We had lioard that Whitings Division
from Lee's Army had gone on to Staunton by rail,
^lost of us had the notion that we would go after and
destroy Fremont and Shields. Then when we were
ordered East we felt sure that we would go up to
Richmond to confront McClellan.

When our part of the command reached Charlotts-
ville, I was ordered to take my brother's place under
Capt. Hugh Lee for the campain East and my brother
was ordered to go down into Fluvanna County to Uncle
Peter Manly 's to get well. At this point Gen. Whit-
ing's one half division passed us on the way to Rich-
mond. I think this division was sent up there to deceive
the Federals. We felt that as these men were fresh.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 51

having ridden from Richmond, only a few days before,
that they should have walked and some of the other
foot soldiers have ridden. But Jackson decided differ-
ently, and probably he was ri^'ht.

The figrht of the Seven Days Battle was opened
by Jackson at IMechanisville early in June, 1862, and
for seven bloody days the battle waged until its close
at Malvern Ilill. When our fellows went cautiously
over the enemy's ground the next morning they were
not in sight. They had moved off before daylight down
to the river and had gotten themselves safely under
cover of their Gun Boats, at Harrison's Landing.

Terrible Scenes

I am not writing a history of the war, but I am
jotting down personal things that occurred during these
four years.

I sometimes think I saw more dead and wounded
men and horses during these seven days that I have
ever seen in my life.

At Frazier's farm I looked carefully over about
two and one half acres of ground, where a very large
number of men had fallen. I think one might have
walked over and over this ground from any direction
and never put his foot on anything but dead men. I
counted 32 corpses in a log stable not over twenty feet
s(iuare, where they had been barricaded and were shoot-
ing between the logs.

For a great many years, following the war of the
sixties, my stomach has been sensitive and if any filthy
sight meets my eyes or unpleasant odor assails my nose,

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

I cannot eat, even thouf^h I be very hun^^ry. But it
was not always thus. Just after one of these battles
and on a hot day I was surrounded by dead men and
liorses. Coming: to a little ravine I sat down on the
rump of a dead horse that really smelled very badly
and ate a bit of lunch. Beinp: very thirsty, I went to
t]i(» rivulet and lyinj; prone upon the p^round took a
bij: drink of water. Getting up from the p:round and
looking up the rivulet I saw a dead horse laying across
the stream.

A Message to Jackson

The next day after the battle of Frazier's farm,
I was sent with a disj^atch to Stonewall Jackson with
orders to go to a certain apple tree near the main house
and deliver the message to him. This I was anxious to
do, but not finding the (Jencral at his head<iuarters and
the day being very hot, I put the bridle rein over the
liorse's head and lay down on a j)lank, one end of
which was set up in tlie tree about four and one half
feet from tlie ground. I was tired and so laid back
on the plank with my feet on tlie ground. I do not
know liow long I laid there, but I awoke with a start
which rapidly reached a great big scat'e. Before me
stood a big Union soldier, with a gun in his hand. 1
pretended not to see him and closed my eyes again like
I was still asleep. I was wondering what in the world
I would do.

I finally decided to bluff it out, so I opened my
eyes and apparently saw him for the first time. I
shouted to him, though he was less than six feet awav.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK J53

''What are you doing here, sir?" "What do you want?"
To my utter surprise he answered, **I came in to sur-
render, bedad." I was greatly relieved and said, ''Give
me your gun, sir/' And when he handed it up to me
I felt like thanking him. His explanation to me was.
that he had been in the regular army for eight years,
and when the war came on he was somewhere on the
frontier. They promised not to send him East, as he
would not fight against his own people. They evidently
forgot this and his regiment was sent East. He said,
"I have been in this seven days fight, begad, but I
always fired in the air." He said he was lost from his
regiment in the swamp the night before and was de-
termined to come in and surrender.

I turned him over to Gen. Jackson, whom he said
he knew, as he had served with him in Mexico. I sup-
pose that this must have been true because I was told
that Jackson recognized liim and gave him a parole.

I have always believed that Gen. McClellan's mili-
tary ability was of a very high order, else he never
could have extricated as much of his army from the
Chickahominy swamps as he did, and carried them safe-
ly to Harrison's Landing. I cannot believe, even now,
that he would have succeeded but for disobedience of
orders on the part of Gen. Hughes, who I have always
understood, was directed by Lee to throw his division
across a certain main road on which McClellan was re-
treating, and thus prevent his escape. Either from
misunderstanding of orders or some other cause Gen.
Hughes did not move his division to the point indicated
for 24 hours, and thus he allowed the Federal Army
to escape almost certain capture or destruction.

54 • PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Malvern Hill

The last of the Seven Days battle was in some
respects the most desperate of the seven. The enemy
was making a last grand effort to save himself, and the
battle lasted until 9 :30 at night. The cannonading was
absolutely terrijfic. The musketry was continuous and
dreadful. The enemy fought as hard as they fought
at any time during the whole war. Our men were
thrown time and again at the hill, in the attempt to
drive them off. After the most desperate efforts they
were withdrawn a short distance to wait for morning.

^Tien the morning light came, it was found that
McClellan had retreated under the shadow of his Gun
Boats, not daring to risk another daylight battle. Dur-
ing the battle at Malvern Hill, some of our very best
Brigades stormed the enemy lines and were beaten back
time and again. Just after a desperate assault one of
Jackson's brigades was driven back with fearful loss,
and they were so much demoralized tliat by ones and
twos and dozens they were leaving the field. Finally
Jackson, seeing that many of his men were completely
demoralized, threw himself among them and endeavored
to halt them and turn them back, but there was no use.
This was probably the only occasion during the war that
this great soldier failed in stopping a rout among his
men.

As a matter of fact, the Union Army had been
doing splendid fighting and had been ably led, but this
fight was too much for them. When McClellan reached
Harrison's Landing and placed his army in the shadow
of the jnin boats it was a worn and demoralized rem-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 55

nant of the magnificent hosts that stood before Rich-
mond, when the fight opened at Mechanicsville.

Some days after this my brother returned from
Uncle Peter I^Ianly's and as I was worn out, I left the
army and went through Richmond on up to Uncle
Peter's.

Uncertain Transportation Facilities

Before leaving I got hold of a mule that we cap-
tured in one of the last fights. This mule was about
the ugliest quadruped that I ever saw. He had the
hair rubbed off him in many places by the harness, but
in other places on his body and especially on his belly
the liair had grown from three to four inches long.
11 is attitude was that of perversity. He threw me off
three times the morning I left. When he could not
get me off any other way, he would rush out into the
bushes and trees and scrape me off. He succeeded in
kicking my legs several times while I was in the saddle.

I overtook a sick soldier from Alabama, lying on
the road side resting. I felt like being kind to him
and asked him to ride. I rather think he did not like
the looks of that mule, but after some pursuasion he
got on and started. He had not gotten over 25 feet
when he was thrown off in the sand. I laughed at him
and told him that he did not know how to ride. He
bristled up and mounted again. The mule promptly
threw him off the second time. Then he was mad at
me and the mule. After much persuasion and kidding
on my part he remounted after I had promised to lead
the animal, which I did with a long rope. The rope

56 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

was 20 or more feet long, and this was necessary for
safety, because, even at this distance, I had trouble
in keeping out of the animal's way.

. It was about seven miles through Richmond from
the Rockets to the West end of Broad Street and, there I
was, leading that mule all the way, being constantly
followed by a crowd from 50 to 150 boys yelling and
jeering at me. Every little while the mule would amuse
himself and the boys by either kicking me or them.

Five miles from town 1 overtook a man driving
a good looking sorrel mare. 1 must have inherited a
tendency to trade horses. It is a weakness that one
should try to overcome. I liad only been with that
fellow a few minutes when we began to trade. He
explained that the slight limp which his horse showed
came from catching her shoe in the planks of a bridge,
a few days before, but that she was the gentlest animal
he had ever known.

We swapped.

I went on a couple of miles and stopped for the
night. That mare had the worst case of bone spavin
and, in the fourteen years that she had lived, had de-
veloped the most awful temper that I have even seen
in a domestic animal. She also had a bad sore on her
back that I had not noticed. I sold her for a very
small figure to a farmer. He tried to make her plow,
but it sometimes took three or four negro men to get
her to go and then keep her going.

Jackson's Tactics

I have already stated that all of Jackson's foot"
soldiers • were very indignant when Wilcox *s and other

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

divisions were sent East by rail while they had to walk.

In the first place these fresh troops were sent West
as a strategic move to deceive the enemy. They were
sent West as though Jackson contemplated a trip with
his army to follow up the Federal forces around Win-
chester. As a matter of fact it was arranged by Lee
and Jackson to immediately double back these fresh
troops to the front of Richmond and of course they
reached there before Jackson's foot soldiers did.

Another thing we never understood, and because
of it were greatly worried. Just as soon as Jackson's
Army reached Nortli Richmond, one of his divisions
opened the Seven Days battle at Mechanicsville.

One incident is related of how Jackson was able
to keep his own counsel. Stonewall was riding in front
of the Army with several of his staff. In passing a
large gate near one of tliose old Colonial Homes that
are frequently seen in Virginia, a very pompous looking
old gentleman rode out. lie immediately saluted the

General, rode along side and said, **my name is ,

I am very well and favorably known here in this State.
I am a strong Southern man. T think I am perfectly
reliable and I want you to tell me where your next
battle with the Federals will take place."

The General looked at him kindly and said, **Can
you keep a secret?" *'Yes sir," replied the gentleman,
"I can." *'Glad to know that, sir," said Gen. Jackson,
♦'So can I."

Around Richmond

General McClellan had a large army, probably
180,000 men, on the peninsula. They were well equipp-

58 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

ed and I have no doubt that they were all, from Mc-
Clellan to the rawest private, confident of going into
Richmond within a few days.

Lee had about 140,000 men including Jackson's
army from the valley. This Army from the valley had,
in less thart 65 days, almost driven the enemy out of
the valley. They came up and whipped the Federals
under Cook and Reynolds, at McDowell, then hurried
down the valley, driving the enemy before them. Near
Winchester they captured 2,200 prisoners and 4,500
wagon loads of commissary and ordnance, stores. These
he drew along with him and came up fighting the enemy
at Cross Keys and badly defeating them. Then, the
following day, he met the enemy under Shields at Port
Republic, having prevented Fremont and Shields from
forming a Junction. If they had succeeded in joining
forces they might have beat(ii Stonewall's army and in
that case McClelian would ])robably have entered Rich-
mond.

• The Army Corps comr.ianded by Jackson opened
the fight just East of Richmond at Mechanicsville, but
instead of Wilcox's division of fresh troops being sent
in to open the fight it was begun by some of the worn
out and wearied troups of the Valley Army, the same
men who had fought and 1 -eaten the enemy at Cross
Keys and Port Republic. When they got near Rich-
mond they were foot sore ajid weary. They were hur-
ried into the Seven Days fighting, beginning in Mechan-
icsville and ending at Malvern Hill. . McClelian had
withdrawn to the shelter of l)is gun boats. Throughout
the Seven Days battle, including Gaine's Mill and
Frazier's Farm and ending at Malvern Hill, I served

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

in my brothers place on Stonewall Jackson's staff as a
Sargeant of Ordnance and throug:hout these battles I
was kept busy issuing]: ammunition. Serp:t. Wade was
the ranking non-commissioned officer and Capt. Hugh
Lee, formerly of Clarksburg, and a nephew of Gen. Lee
was a Captain and Staff officer with Stonewall.

Sometimes the Ordnance train was two or three miles
in the rear of the firing line, and sometimes right up
against it. We had plenty of chances for being hurt
by far reaching minnies or bursting shells.

Good Generalship

I have already mentioned that if it had not been
for a mistake in orders or for wilful disobedience on
the part of one of our commanders, ArcClellan would
have been bottled up following the battle of Malvern Hill
and his troops surrounded in the swamps. The action
of our officers has always been severely commented
on by Officers and privates. Failure to throw a division
across McClellan's main avenue of escape permitted
McClellan to get to his gun boats.

The general opinion, both South and North has
been that McClellan was lacking in Generalship in leav-
ing the peninsula as well as in the conduct in the Seven
Day battle. But I agree with many of our best military
critics in the South, that not only in the disposition
and management of his superb army, but also in his
masterful retreat he showed that he had the brain of
one of the best strategists on the continent. It seems
to me that the retreat could not have been better man-
aged.

GO PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

At Green Springs

Soon after the last mentioned campaign, Gen. Lee's
Army reoccupied their lines in front of Richmond.
Jackson moved his army to Green Springs, about 75
miles from Riclimond in Louisa County. Here he rested
and built up his command for about eighteen days.

It was while the army lay here that I saw my bro-
ther Lucius for the last time. He had gotten stronger
and had reached our camp the day following the battle
of Malvern Hill. He had asked to be relieved from
Staff Duty in order that he might go back to his Com-
])any.

I have never believed much in dreams or super-
natural warnings. My brother was a very practical
man, but he evidently had a strong feeling that he would
not survive the next battle. He confided this to my
Aunt Hettie ]\Ianly, but rc([uested that she would not
tell me. He told me just b'.'fore the command marched,
and the last time I ever saw him, that, *'He did not
believe the bullet had ever been moulded that would
kill him." But I know now that this was pure bravado,
and was said to keep my spii'its up.

On the morning that tlie battle of Cedar Mountain
oi)ened, August 9th, 1862, he told Lieut. Riddleberger,
a personal friend of his and some years later a U. S.
Senator, that he would be killed in the battle they were
just entering. Riddleberger made light of his state-
ments, of course not believing in premonitions. He
told me later that my brotlier went into the fight with
coolness and confidence as though there was so sort of
danger. He was at the head of his Company and to

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 61

all appearances, entirely indifferent. lie had been
wounded at times previous to this.

Some hours after the bep:inning of that hard %ht
his repriraent was sharply cnjrajrod with the enemy and
was bein«? supported by two new Alabama Reg:iments,
which seemed unable to stem the force of the sttack.
so fell back. The enemy then charged the 10th Infantry.
It was a terrible situation. The Rejjiment had to re-
tire. Col. Givens and a number of officers were killed.
Large numbers of officers and privates were killed and
wounded. When the order was given for the Regiment
to retreat, my brother pro])ably did not hear it, for he
stood in his place firing a short rifle until he was finally
shot in the right side and mortally wounded. As he
fell he called to the boys not to let the enemy get his
body. Capt. ^Eelhorn, Lieut. Kiddlebarger and two
other men whose names 1 cannot remember ran back
in the face of the enemy's fire and within twenty feet
of their line and carried him ofT the field.

He was carried to a house about *^00 yards from
where he fell. He lived about 27 hours, suffering most
awfully. The ball had stopped after its course just
below the skin. I have the bullet in my possession now.
It seems a gruesome thing to keej), but I brought it
home after the war and gave it to my mother. Before
her death she gave it back to me with the request that
I should keep it.

My Brother

My brother was as faithful, conscientious and brave
a soldier as I ever knew. He was a sincere Christian

C2 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

and was not afraid to die. In Au^ifust, 1862, at the
time of his death, he was in his 23rd year.

He was about four years older than I, and had been
a father as well as a brother to me. He kept nothingr
for himself, but gave without stint, whatever he had
that would be of use to me. Wlien I had been appointed
to dan^rerous picket duty he would try to get the officers
to let him serve in my place. We always had our purse
in common.

I Tried to be With Him

I was scarcely able to be about and was still re-
cuperating at Uncle Peter Manleys, when I heard the
booming of the guns, which announced the battle of
Cedar Mountain.

I knew that my brother would be in this fight and,
weak as I was, I determined to go. Of course I did not
know the exact point, but I knew that the fight must
take place East of the Virginia Central railroad.

About three o'clock in the afternoon, though
scarcely able to sit On a horse, I mounted and rode until
eleven o'clock that night. Being unable to stand it any
longer, I stopped at a liouse and asked permission to
spend the balance of tlie niglit, but met with a decided
refusal. I then asked to bring my horse in and lay
<lown in the yard. This was allowed and I rested on
the ground until daybreak, when I started on and rode
all day until nine p. m.

I reached the Rapidan river, near Orange Court
liouse and here met Jackson's army retreating from
the field.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 63

I was entirely too exhausted to go any further
East, even if I had been permitted. I went to a wheat
stack, about 200 yards from the road and, tieing my
horse's bridle rein to my foot, lay down to rest. The
army was passing by all night. At daylight I went
to the road and watched for someone I knew. After
a while Capt. Hugh Lee, with whom my brother had
served on Jackson's Staff rode by. He told me that
he had heard from my brother after the battle and that
he was not hurt. I was much encouraged by this state-
ment, but waited for my brother's Regiment the 10th
Infantry, which was covering the retreat of the army,
to come up. Near nine o'clock, I recognized the Regi-
ment coming and soon my brother's Company came on.
and I knew some of the men and rushed into the line
and asked about him. Tliey were strangely silent at
first, but finally one of tlie men told me that he was
dead and buried. I could not believe it. Capt. Lee
liad told me that he was not hurt. I followed along with
the men and questioned them until finally and very
reluctantly I was forced to accept it as the truth. But
for years afterwards I felt almost half of the time he
was not dead.

While on Sick Leave

About the first of January, 1863, being .sick at
Uncle Peter Manley's and unable for field service, I
was asked by a Mr. Grant, who operated a large tobacco
factory in Columbia, to help him out, by taking the
management of the factory temporarily.

I was not a practical manager, being only a boy,

(►4 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

and never having? governed so laroe a number of work-
men. There about 100 in all. There were all negroes,
and all slaves. About half of them boys and men, and
the other half women and girls. They made cheap
grades of tobacco for the most part. I had charge of
the factory for about six weeks.

At this time the currency of our part of the country
was getting to be very bad. On account of the blockad-
ing of our ports we could get very little in by sea.
Arms and ammunition were only obtained by taking
the most fearful risks. Large numbers of men spent
all their time in smuggling quinine through the lines.
We probably lost thousands of lives in the swamp land
of the peninsula for the lack of this drug and so the
most strenuous efforts were made to obtain it.

Running the lines was a very dangerous occupa-
tion. To be captured inside of the enemy's lines meant
certain death. Often times the men so caught, and shot
liad run tlie risk for no other reason than that they might
relieve tlieir suffering comrades. The surgeons in our
hospitals ran short of (piinine and they knew of no other
substitute for it.

About this time I went to Lynchburg and was
tliere for about four weeks, working in a cigar shop
to pay my board.

On a Long Hike

Learning that General Imboden contemplated a raid
into North West Virginia, and hoping to be able to
join it in time, T set out for Staunton, Virginia, though
J could get no certain knowledge of where the expedi-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 65

tion would start and really was not physically able to
p:o, but I was so anxious to see my folks that I started.

After reaching: Staunton I learned that General
Imboden was somewhere to the West. The next morn-
ing I started out and on reaching Millboro, the terminus
of the road, learned that Imboden was still West of
there. His movements were uncertain so I pressed on,
walking until I got to Lewisburg, nearly 100 miles over
tlie mountains. I was very lame. There I found Im-
boden, wlio had returned from the raid. He had gone
as far as Buckhannon. There was some little fighting,
a few lost, some prisoners and horses captured but after
talking with the General, T judged from his conversation
that the expedition was almost barren of results.

The reason for my wanting to go on the raid was
that I might have been able to see my people for a few
hours and I could have gotten a good horse.

Major Lady

On the train from Staunton and on my way in
hunt of Gen. Imboden, I met Maj. John B. Lady. He
was a splendid young officer, who had served since the
beginning of the war in the Shriver Greys, 27th Virginia
Infantry, Stonewall Jackson Brigade.

At the same time I also met Harry Caton, one of
the most delightful young men I have ever known. He
had been a member of Hood's 1st Texas Regiment.
Harry was dreadfully shot to pieces at the battle of
Seven Pines and left on the field for dead.

I was destined to become very closely associated
with the two men above mentioned.

66 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Maj. John B. Lady was just then starting out to
form what became the Lady's Battalion of Cavalry. This
Battalion was afterwards enlarged and became the 20th
Regiment of Cavalry, commanded by Col. Wm. Amett,
Col. John B. Lady and Maj. Evans.

I Joined Captain Heiskell's Company

Camp was established on Buck Creek, about four
miles above the town of Iluntersville and was named
Camp Northwest.

At this time. Gen. Wm. Jackson, who had been
Colonel of the 31st Virginia Regiment of Infantry, was
forming a brigade of cavalry and the 10th Regiment
was organized soon after reaching Camp Northwest.
Col. Wm. E. Thompson, former Capt. of company A,
31st Virginia, was a Colonel. T cannot recall the names
of the other field officers.

I became a member of Capt. Heiskells Company I,
a part of Lady's Battalion. I was elected Second Lieut,
of this company and my commission came in from the
Secretary of War, but strange to nay I only served a
few days in that capacity. A young man from Monroe
County, who was a special friend of some of the officers
and men of the regiment, had been very active in form-
ing ^i command and had been promised a commission.
Two weeks previous to tlie election of officers, he had
been home and told his family and friends all about the
matter, and no doubt posed as an officer. He was utterly
disconsolate when he heard how the election had gone.
He cried and wept sore about the matter and said he
never could go home again. I felt very sorry for him.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 67

Col. Lady asked me if I cared very much for the place
and if I would mind giving it to the sorrowing one. As
a matter of fact I cared little or nothing about the
position and readily agreed that if the matter could be
arranged with the men and with the "War Department,
I would give him the place.

I think this young man was the most grateful soul
I ever saw. He overwhelmed me with thanks and
promised me undying friendship. Poor fellow, he was
dreadfully wounded at Droop Mountain and incapacita-
ted for further service.

Recruiting

The summer of '63 wore away in recruiting, in
drilling and in scouting. I think it was in July that
I was sent by the Colonel to open a recruiting office in
Richmond. I was there five or six weeks. I cannot
remember the number of recruits I took into the service,
but it was between 30 and 40. A few of these I got
in Rockingham County, where I spent about a week.

While- at Harrisonburg, I was sent for by some men
at the county jail. I went around there supposing that
I would find some old Army acquaintances that had
been arrested, but I did not find anyone that I knew.

About fifteen men belonging to Maj. Harry Gil-
more 's command had been caught drunk and the town
authorities had arrested them and put them in jail.
They all declared they would gladly enlist for three
years in the 20th Regiment if I would promise to get
them out. The fact is that I did not want them, for
more than one reason. They were already mustered

08 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

into the service in Gilmore's Battalion and could easily
be arrested and taken from us or they could as easily
have deserted and gone back to the old command, and,
after lookinjr at them in jail, I did not think that they
would add much lustre to the Confederate cause.

A New Friend

1 made the entire trip from the Valley of Virginia
witli one of my new recruits by the name of Blain. He
was a man about 43 years old, weighed about 215 pounds
and had never served as a soldier. This man had an
interesting family of a wife and five children and I
tliink they were all girls, the oldest about eighteen.

AVhen we were at Hightown, before we had gotten
to the Regiment, I went into a liouse and found Blain
there under the influence of li(iuor. He was wild and
about fifty men around tlie house and yard were going
to kill him. They said he had made some insulting
remarks in the presence of one of the ladies. I had
promised to watch and take care of him. I had to
sliove him ahead of me and turn and keep the fellows
back until I got him outside tlie yard. Blain was very
willing to fight, bnt T kept them off him. After we got
outside the fence I persuaded them to let him alone.

I might say right here that Blain did not live a
year, but it was whiskey that killed him and not an
enemy bullet.

On my way from Richmond after I got to Rock-
ingham County, Blain and I came "West together to
Hightown. He had a very good horse and I had none,
so we **rode and, tied", I had sent the other men on

PRIVATE JOHN HENUY CAM MACK 69

before us in squads of from four to eight as rapidly as
we could jret them ready to start to the command.

At Monterey Again

Wlieii I reached Monterey, court was in session.
There were a jrreat many people in town and a con-
siderable number of soldiers scattered about on leave
of absense. I had a friend there John Seybert of our
old repriment. His father kept the principal hotel in
the town and John was home on furlou<rh. I rode up
in front of the hotel to speak to John, but did not in-
tend to dismount. He insisted that I pret down and eat
dinner with him. It was 12 :30 and I was always hungry,
but, for some reason or other, I declined. I never knew
why I did, but I started on. When I got up on the
side of the mountain and looked back on the town, 2000
Federal Cavalry liad swooped down on the town and
captured it. They came in unexpectedly, captured the
town and the court and scattered soldiers and citizens
almost without any resistance. I have never known any
good reason for my not stoppin<r with John for dinner,
but if I had done so I would surely have been captured
or maybe killed or wounded.

A Run for the Gap

I hurried on over to Hightown and found my Regi-
ment under Col. Aruett in camp there. When I left
the camp a month before this time they were at Camp
Northwest on Buck Creek, three miles from Hunters-
ville, the county seat of Pocahontas County and 18 miles
from Little Levels. Between Monterev and Hightown

70 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

there is a mountain six miles across. It lays between
the two and the only available crossing is a gap. The
Federal Commander at ^Monterey knew that Col. Arnett
was at Hightown with 500 men and if he could get to
this gap first and cross and get in Arnett 's rear he ought
to be able to capture the whole command.

The Federals started for the gap as hard as they
could go. They were probably 30 minutes ahead of us,
but as soon as Arnett saw the situation he ordered the
command to make the best run they could in order to
beat the enemy to the gap.

I think we galloped about six miles along the West
side of the mountain, while the enemy was coming down
the East side of the mountain to the gap. We beat
them to it and got away from them, but they came
through the gap that night and the next day followed
us dowTi Buck Creek and in the afternoon we had a
sharp fight with them.

After Deserters

"^Tiile we were at Camp Northwest, Col. Lady sent
for me one evening and told me that he had ordered
Lieut. Steve Rice and myself to go that night up to
the summit of the Alleghany mountain and catch and
bring back six deserters. He thought that, as they were
on foot, we might intercept them before they reached
the summit of the mountain. To be plain about it, I
did not like the job, for four of these men were old
Louisiana Tigers who had joined after the Tiger.^ were
disbanded. I could not decline the honor, although we
both expected to be shot from ambush as we went up
the mountain.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 71

We reached the mountain top about 10:00 o'clock
at night. The pickets said that they had neither seen
or heard anything of our men. After waiting an hour
we started back and when we reached camp, found
that the deserters had decided to return to camp and
had gotten back there before we did.

These Tigers were ])ad men in almost every way
and averse to any kind of discipline, but they could
always be depended on in a scrap to do the most des-
perate and fool-hardy things that could be thought of.

A Bad Ford

Following the gallop we made with Col. Amett
to reach the pass before the enemy reached it, we had
almost a day of skirmishing with the same force that
had followed us from just below Ilightown.

Late in the evening and when we were about 14
miles from Camp Northwest, Blain and I turned off
the road to the left to find something to eat and a bed
to sleep in if we could.

Two or three miles away we found a very good
place to stay and not only a good bed but an excellent
and plentiful supply of food. I think I never have
eaten more greedily than I did that night and next
morning. There was a great rain during the night and
next morning the creek banks were full. About three
or four miles from where we staid all night we came
to a ford. I was riding Blain 's horse and he went on
down the creek to a foot bridge which was in sight. I
rode boldly into the creek not knowing that the ground
had been washed out of the road under the water at

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

the ford, and the second/ step my horse took into the
water he went over his head and almost turned a sum-
mersault. I was in a o:reat torrent of water and was
washed down fifty feet below the ford under a great
bank in a whirlpool. I remember that the horse turned
around in the pool three times before he could force
his way out into the stream again. Finally we got
out and made a landing on the other side. We were
soon joined by Blain. Ry this time I had taken a
violent case of colic and I know that for about eight
hours my suffering was greater than I have ever ex-
perienced in my life. ^ly friend held me on the horse
for one-third of a mile by which time we came to a very
good farm house. Tliis house had its gable to the road,
but a long porch on the East side. Blain was going to
take me in and lay me on the porch, but a middle aged
woman came out and insisted tliat I should not come
in the yard even, that I had small pox (my face was
very red.) My friend took me on the porch in spite
of what the woman said and laid me down and then
started to Camp, which was about eight miles, for the
surgeon of my regiment and an ambulance.

I suppose I laid on tlie porch about an hour with-
out any attention when a grand-daughter of the house
came over on an errand and spied me lying there. The
old lady forbid her going near me and told her she was
sure I had small pox> but the girl said to her. **It
would be a shame to let one of our soldiers die here
without giving all the attention we can." The young
lady was a stout, good-looking girl, about eighteen years
of age She put her hands under my arms after raising
my head and clasped her hands under my neck and

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 73

dragged me in the house to the hearth of a big fire
place. She soon had a great fire burning, had me wrap-
ped up in blankets and was giving rae several kinds of
hot tea and continued to bring me to life. The Surgeon
and nurse reached me about four o'clock. I was very
much easier. I think without any doubt the young
lady saved my life.

After reaching camp it was several days before I
was able to walk about.

Not long after this and while we were still at Camp
Northwest, I learned that about 25 of our fellows from
Harrison County had just run the blockade and had
come to join us.

I got myself appointed to go down to Little Levels,
eighteen miles below, to meet and bring the boys into
camp. There was, as I remember, just eighteen. Among
these men was a notable man from Wood county, about
Parkersburg. He was a large, heavy man and weighed
about 240 pounds. These men were a part of the force
brought through the lines by Maj. Armsby, of Harrison
county and who became the Maj. of the 17th Virginia
Cavalry. Armsby was soon after this captured and
sentenced to death as a spy.

In some matters that occurred in 1864, I will tell
how it came about that the Major was released.

Trying to Get Back Home

Some time after the battle of Droop Mountain,
the command came back to Camp Northwest. I went
to Gen. W. L. Jackson and obtained permission to make
a scout as far west as Harrison county, where my father

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

lived. I agreed to take nine men with me and get them
mounts on the trip.

Harry Caton, my old friend of the 1st Texas regi-
ment was one of the men and the one I depended upon
more than any of the others. He was a Wheeling boy
and some three years before the war had gone to Texas
and served in the Rangers for some time. When the
war came on he was in Mexico City but immediately
came back to Texas and joined Col. John B. Hood's
1st regiment and went to Virginia. I think I menti-
oned this before.

He had been spending the night before the battle
(5f Seven Pines in Richmond, but early on the morning
of the fight he went down to camp and finding that the
regiment had moved forwr.rd toward the enemy, he
hastened on and arrived just as they were lining up
for the fray. He had not intended to see Col. Hood
just then, but unexpectedly ran into the head of the
command just as they were deploying. The Col. rec-
ognized him at once and sj^oke sharply to him about
being away without leave. Harry made the best excuse
he could and asked permissioti to take part in this little
tea party.

That day he was fearfully wounded, being shot
in the breast and side. He vras half mile from the road,
when wounded, and after some hours he realized that
he would die there or bleed to death before being found.
He crawled through the brush and the woods suffering
horribly until he reached a place where he could see
or hear the w^agons hauling the wounded off.

He finally attracted attention and was carried to
the field hospital, but when the surgeons saw him they

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

declined to dress his wounds, because they felt his case
was hopeless and they had only time to give attention
to men who mijrht recover. Caton insisted that he would
j?et well and finally had his wounds dressed. lie was
soon on the way to recovery and was sent up the James
river where he got strong again.

He was one of the bravest men I ever knew, a
natural-born gelntlemjiii, kind and generous. I met
him in the Spring of '63 as I have already mentioned
and we became fast friends, so I got permission to go
on this scout in order to see the home folks and inciden-
tally to find some horses for the men, and I took Caton
with me. We left Little Levels and were gone a month
and five days.

Incidents of the Trip

I will only mention a few of the incidents of our
trip. The whole trip had plenty of action and excite-
ment about it. I might say now that we lost two of
our number, captured, we supposed.

In Lewis and Harrison Counties we were compelled
to separate, though Harry and I stayed together except
for five days once when I was sick and had a high
fever.

I had a map of the roads in two or three counties
and they were quite intelligible to us. The principal
roads were marked showing us the houses of Southern
people and also a different mark on Union houses. Of
course we were obliged to keep off the roads for the
most part but we kept in sight of them.

On one occasion, we had crossed a tall mountain
and left the road a long way on our right, as we sup-

76 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

posed, but when we got over the mountain in sight of
the valley and road we could not determine where we
were. We saw a large farm house one half mile below
us, but could not tell from our maps w^ho lived there,
nor whether it would be safe to go down.

It was my turn to go and find out. I took off my
uniform jacket and left my short cavalry rifle with
Caton. When I started down I had on an old straw
hat, pants and shirt, the pants held up by a pair of
yarn galluses. I am sure I looked green enough. I
went in the back way and found a woman churning.
She was a very intelligent looking person and I felt
that she was suspicious of men the instant she saw me.
She inquired who 1 was an<l where I lived. I told her
1 worked for ^Mr. Smith on the other side of the moun-
tain and that he had sent mo down to the mouth of this
creek to bring back a steer. The woman looked sharply
at me and I knew that I was under suspicion. She told
the girl to give me a cup of water, then told me to go
out the way I came in, to go down the meadow and
then cross over to the big road. I started, but decided
to go up the hill the way I came. She called to me in
a minute or two and asked me why I didn't go the way
she told me. I told her tliat I thought the other way
was closer. I am sure that she thought tliat I was a
green boy and it didn't matter.

'I started again and wfnt by the way of the front
porch, the very thing I did not want to do. I found
that on that porch sat tw^o Yankee soldiers in uniform.
Plowever I was in for it and I slouched along across
the yard and they did not speak to me. I thought at

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK T7

the time that it was a close shave, for I had no arms
to defend myself with but they happened not to siLspect

me.

Two nights before this incident we stopped in front
of a largre farm house and we knew the man who lived
there was named Wilson, a friend. It was about 1 -MO
A. M. and the moon was shininjr brijrhtly. I went up
on the porch and tapped on the window several times
before anyone answered. At last a roujrh voice called
from an upper window to know who we were and what
we wanted. We finally persuaded him down stairs and
talked with him some time, but could not convince him
that we were all 0. K. lie told us we could pro down
to the barn and stay until morning, when lie would
come down and take a look at us and if he could helj)
us he would. The fact of the matter was it was a {ground
hog case with us, we had to have assistance from him.
We were finally forced to go to the barn and burro
down in a haymow to keep warm. The next morning
about sunrise, IMr. Wilson came down to the barn floor
accompanied by two dogs. He wanted us to get down
on the floor (juickly. This we did and he looked us over
critically. The dogs in the meantime appeared very
friendly to us. Finally he said, **come on up to the
house to breakfast, I am satisfied you are alright, if
you were Yankees I couldn't keep those dogs off you."
We had a good breakfast and went up the hollow and
laid under the trees until dinner.

After dinner we got our bearings and went to the
top of the ridge or mountain between the two small
valleys. We were to follow the ridge about eight miles
to near the mouth of Hacker's Creek. About four

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

o'clock we decided that we had tramped far enough to
have found this creek, but, as a matter of fact we were
lost and did not know where we were.

It was at this time that I went down in the valley
and had the experience, disf}:uised as a farmer boy, as
before mentioned.

After I had taken the route that the woman had
pointed out to me, throup:h the front yard, I went on
to the road and down about a mile and crossed over
makin<? a lonpr detour and reached my friend Caton
again.

My Father's House

We reached a Iiouse of a friend of the South about
eleven o'clock that night. We had little difficulty in
convincing him as to who we were and after a hearty
meal with him and his family he brought out a couple
of horses and took us several miles on our road and
within about six or seven miles of my father's house.

We reached father's house about tliree o'clock A.
M. He lived about a half mile from a little place called
Johnstown. There were some 200 Yankees camping
as close to the town as my father's house. They were
not regular soldiers, but belonged to a set of men that
were mean and cowardly in the extreme. They were
not looking for soldiers to oppose, but sought every op-
portunity to abuse women and children or helpless and
crippled men. They often arrested such as these, took
them to Clarksburg, appeared before the commandant
preferring usually trumped up charges and had the
poor victims sent to camp Chase.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 79

In this county of Harrison, a large number of
people who were not guilty of any wrong doing, lost
their lives from the inhuman treatment accorded by
the Home Guards.

I remember the incidents of this home coming as
well as if it had occurred only yesterday.

There was a beautiful September moon shining
in all its cloudless brilliancy. We went very quietly,
my comrade Caton and I, but when we had reached
the barn, only about one hundred yards from the house,
my dog Tige set up a furious barking. I knew his voice.
This was the only dog I ever owned and the only one
I was ever fond of. He was a white bull dog. I called
in a low voice to the dog and after a short time he rec-
ognized me. I never have known an animal to exhibit
as much joy as he did when he found out who I was.

We finally went up to the house and I went to the
door and knocked. T heard father and mother talking,
she evidently trying to keep him from going to the door.
Finally as I was persistent in wanting to get in, father
got up and asked again, "who is there, what is your
name?" I asked him if he had a son in the army and
told him that I brought a message from him. Just then
my mother said, **0h! it is Henry." She knew my
voice.

I got in the house. They made no light because
some soldiers were around the house an hour before and
they were afraid.

My brother George, was about 17 years old at this
time, he surprised me by running in and calling to me,
"Henry, are you a deserter?" I said that I was not.
Then he said, "If you are there is the door, we don't

80 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

want a deserter in this house." The reason he said
this was that a grood many fellows in the county had
jj:otten tired and discourafred in the Southern army and
had come ba^.-k home and taken the oath of allegiance
to the U. S. Government. This they were oblig:ed to do
or go to prison.

An Unusual Introduction

I greeted all the family most heartily and among
them a young lady, Miss Mary Fox, who was teaching
school in the viHage and boarding at father's house.
She was a Southern girl, a native of Culpeper County,
Virginia, the daughter of a widow then living a few
miles from Johntown. She had a brother, ^Ir. T. S.
Fox, in the 17th Virginia Cavalry. This lady became
my wife after the war in tlie fall of 186G, October 7th.

We have often laughed about my kissing her among
others at home, before I ever saw her.

In a few minutes my motiier asked me where my
brother Lucius was. I then realized that she did not
know of his death, which liad taken place more than a
year before in the battle of Cedar ]\Iountain. She had
at different times heard of the deatli of both of us, but
did not know tluit my brother had actually fallen.

AVe slept about tliree or four hours in a thicket of
trees not far from the house and my father came in the
morning and brought out breakfast. We stayed there
several days and nights, but never sleeping in the house
and seldom spending an hour there because they were
constantly watched and it would have meant prison or
death for the whole family if we had been found there.

PKIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 81

^liss Fox, who is now my wife, made me a pair
of pants and father liad me a pair of excellent boots
made and in otlier ways my wardrobe was improved
and we were well rested and better able for our trip
back to ** Dixie". We were about 150 miles from our
lines. The children at home were all old enough to
be told who I was but one, Nellie about four years old.
She understood me to be ]\Ir. Jones from Clarksburg.

The ni<rht came, for us to leave and Harry and I
<Jetermined to eat supper with the family about 10:30.
We had a delicious supper, but I had very little appe-
tite, but at last the ^rood bye and God Speeds were said
and we started. We were compelled to tramp through-
the woods and fields so as to avoid meeting people.

In a Nest of Yankees

One incident that 0(*curred about two weeks before
we went to my father's house, I think is worth telling.
Up in Lewis County near the edge of Webster, was a
family by the name of St. John. We had their name
on paper or map as good people for us to see. The
father was dead, the only son was in our army in the
19th Cavalry.

The family at this time consisted of the mother
and two daughters. Before reaching their place, my
friend Caton, had gone down near Milford and was
taken sick. A sympathizer was taking care of him. I
was up in the St. John's neighborhood, being in the
great hollow of a burnt out poplar tree. I could not
afford to ask them to keep me at the house because there
was too much chance of being discovered. The Federals

82 PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF

had at this time 1000 or 1500 men camped within two
miles of the St. John's home. I was taken sick with
some kind of fever and was very bad. Both of the St.
Johns girls came up in the woods and brought me food
and bed cover and later such medicine as their mother
thought might help me.

I was there sick about six days. I began to feel
much better and was so awfully lonesome there in the
woods by myself, I was willing to risk almost anything
to be with human beings again. About sundown one
evening, when I was feeling this way, I slipped down
through the woods and crosed the road and went to the
barn. Mrs. St. John had seen me in the barn yard
and as two soldiers had just called there to stay all
night she slipped down to tell nie to hide, as these men
would soon be at the barn to put their horses away.

They came down and fed their horses, I being
in another part of the barn and very careful to not
discover myself to them.

About 9:00 o'clock, 1 went up to the house and
looking in the window could see none but the ladies.
I decided that these soldiers had gone to bed and I
walked in to the sitting room. The ladies were fright-
ened at my coming in. They were afraid the soldiers
would come out in the room and finding me there, make
trouble.

1 sat with the folks about one and one half hours
and then went to bed in the room next to where these
soldiers were sleeping, but they never suspected my
presence. I remained in bed until after these men had
breakfasted and left the place next morning.

PKIVATK JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 83

In a couple of days after this I got with Harry
again and made the visit home, as I have already told.

After leaving home, in a couple of nights we had
gone into the upper part of Lewis county and not far
from the head waters of Hackers Creek.

Harry and I separated for a few days, about this
time. He went a few miles from me to stay with a
southerner who had invited him, and I was for several
days about one mile from the farm house, where I had
gone to seek information about our road. The woman's
sons were still at home on furlough for I saw them both,
although I did not think it necessary to tell them I was
there watching them.

When we first came into Upshur or Lewis counties,
I can't remember which, we mounted six of the eight
men we had with us. Two of the men were either cap-
tured or deserted, wo never knew which. I wanted the
men we had brought from Camp mounted and sent back
before we went into Harrison County to see my father.
The six men we sent back arrived safely in camp some-
time before we did. I was the guest of an excellent
fellow, who fed me well and watched for me around
the thicket where I was hidden. This would have been
much more lonesome and trying to me, but fortunately
my host had some confidential friends, who wanted to
hear from some of the boys in our army, and he brought
them to me.

Finally Harry and I communicated with each
other, agreed to leave for dixie on a certain night. At
the same time a man by the name of Rinehart had seen
us once and later sent us word he wanted to go with
us to Dixie. I had arranged for my horse, which was

84 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

in fact a beautiful brown mare. I went after her about
8 :30 in the evening. I went to the place where the two
soldiers were on a furlougrh. All the family seemed
to be boiiino; sugar cane. The man I had with me went
into the meadow witliin twenty-five yards of the group
at the fire.

"Borrowing" a Horse

I do not now and have never defended the mor-
ality of this act of mine except on the ground of neces-
sity. We were almost literally surrounded by enemies
at this time, we were about 135 miles from our lines
and I think the chances for our escape from them de-
pended almost solely on the horse that I borrowed of
that farmer.

I can truthfully assert in addition that I never took
anything of value from a non-combatant except in this
case.

After getting my horse I rode her bareback about
three quarters of a mile to a place where I found Caton
and Rinehart, both of them well mounted. Rinehart
had been hurried almost to death for six weeks, running
from one cover to another to escape capture. I should
have said that in going to our rendezvous, I had gotten
into the main road about one half mile from the place
where Caton was staying. Just before reaching the
front of the house I heard horsemen on a trot meeting
me. I could not afford to be captured, but I could not
turn and ride away, because I did not know where the
road would take me and T feared 1 would meet peoi)le
I didn't want to see.

PRIVATE JOHxN HENRY CAMMACK 85

The barn stood between the house and the road.
Instead of a bi^r g:ate there were old fashioned bars open-
ing to the road and knowin^r that in another minute I
would meet these men, the only safe thing to do was
to get through into the barnyard thence into the meadow
at the other end of which behind a clump of willows
I was to find Caton and Rinehart. My mare jumped
the bars without any difficulty. Before I was out of
the barn yard the men behind me either didn't care
to make the jump or decided to let me run down the
meadow and catch me when I would attempt to come
out in the road at the lower end of the meadow.

1 galloped down to the willows and finding the
men ready, we hastened back and went through the
bars and started South. Pretty soon the Federals found
we had taken a turn on them. They about faced and
followed. About a mile from the barn we turned sharp-
ly to the left, but they continued to follow us. A mile
farther on we turned off the road to the right and struck
the mountain trail.

Getting Back to Our Lines

I have never known a man who was so good a
woodsman as Harry Caton. The night had become
dark and it was raining and we were following a mere
trail. There was scarcely a path across the mountain,
and yet this man seemed instinctively to know the way.
The enemy was still following us, but I think on this
mountain trail they were moving more slowly than we
were.

A few miles from where we struck the trail, w«
ran into a big tree that had fallen across the path.

86 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Caton was riding in front. He dismounted and felt
his way to me and gave me his bridle while he sconced
around the tree to try to locate the trail. It was so
dark that I could see nothing, but in about fifteen
minutes Harry came back and reported that he had
found the trail. About seven o'clock the next morning
we found ourselves in front of a raging little river that
had been swollen by recent rains until it could not
be forded.

We held a council of war and decided that the
Yankees would in all probability be there in less than
one half an hour and we tliouglit it safer to swim rather
than to risk a fight with them as there were too many
of them. We plunged our horses into the river and
finally succeeded in landing on the southern bank con-
siderably below where we started in.

We were then in a wild mountainous part of Up-
shur or Webster county, I could not be certain which
it was. We felt little fear of being pursued further
than the river we had crossed as we believed they would
not follow us until the water had gone down. Wf
learned also in the community that morning that there
was no big body of P'ederal soldiers in that part of the
state, so we rode boldly along the public road toward the
western line of Pocahontas County.

We found our horses pretty much jaded before
one o'clock but we rested them some and got some food
for them early in the afternoon. We were in very good
shape except that my mare was barefooted and began
to go lame on me. I took part of the old quilt on which
I was riding, cut off pieces and bound up her feet. They

PHIVATK JOHN HKNUY CAMMACK 87

were worn and almost bleeding. This had to be repeat-
ed many times before we reached camp.

We felt considerably worried about three o'clock
when we heard that a band of about a dozen Yankees
were at the foot of the mountain some fifteen miles in
front of us and over which we were compelled to pass.
We found that these fellows were not soldiers but a
band of robbers, bein«r deserters from both the Union
and Confederate armies, banded togetlier for robbery
and murder.

A Band of Robbers

We stopped about five o'clock at the house of a
friendly family and they insisted that we go back be-
cause we could not hope to pass these robbers without
losing our horses and money and possibly our lives. We
got some supper and fed our horses and planned what
we should do the next morning. Rinehart's horse had
cast a shoe and as there was no blacksmith except right
at the foot of the mountain we were in a quandary as
to what to do.

We finally decided to ride up there in the morning
and Caton and I would dismount leaving our horses
outside the fence and we would go up to the house and
entertain these fellows as best we could until Rinehart
would signal us he was ready. Then we were to leave
if we could.

I had a short cavalry rifle and a knife, Harry had
a short rifle and a pistol. Rinehart had a splendid
pistol which I tried to get but he could not be persuaded.
When we came near the house which set back about a

S8 PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS OF

hundred yards from the road we saw four men walking:
about on the green in front of the huse. We knew that
we could not afTord to pass without stopping so when we
came to the gate we told Rinehart to go on to the shop
and have liis work done and we would go up and see
the boys and be ready wlien lie was.

We tlien dismounted, threw our bridle reins over
a couple of fence posts and walked in and spoke to these
fellows in a very jocuhir manner. They evidently were
not expecting this sort of greeting. They doubtless
knew in what reputation {hey were held and expected
us to be seared (whicli we were). The morning was
beautiful. We tliought it was safe to venture a few
pleasant remarks about the weather. It was the only
topic which we could think of at the moment to speak
about. We talked in just a casual and easy way though
we did not feel easy. 1 thought then and do yet that
I never saw a meaner looking set of men. They were
large and well dressed and were literally walking arsen-
als. None of them carried less than two pistols and
some of them three, and each umn liad a big gun and a
knife. And more than tliat tliey looked like the.v knew
how to use them.

They evidently did not know what to make of us.
Anxious to know how many there were of them alto-
gether I carelessly remarked that I would step in the
house awhile and get some more breakfast. I turned
with quite a swagger and went up to the house and
found four of the party at breakfast. They were just
as mean looking as the other three and were just as weM
armed. Just as I entered the door I took an inventory
of the men and remarked pleasantly * ' hello boys ' '. Al-

PRIVATE JOHN HENKY CAMMACK

most before they had time to speak a woman came in
brinpring: one of the men a cup of coffee. I immediately
reached the table and picked up the cup of coffee before
the man had a chance to pet it. I remarked as I picked
it up that I thouprht I woukl like a cup of coffee as my
breakfast had been rather light.

I never saw a man look more surprised and they
all looked in wonder at one another and then at me.
They all jirot anp-ry and left the table. Seeing that they
were going out of doors I got out of the door, meantime
blowing about having killed three Yankees that week
and that I was mighty fond of the sport and that the
boys with me liked it wonderfully well themselves.

I had now found out how many there were of them,
seven. Both of us knew they were too many for us
even if we iiad been as well armed as they were. We
also knew that we could not count on Rinehart and be-
sides he was more than a hundred yards away at the
blacksmiths, and we had no way of knowing whether the
blacksmith was for us or against us.

There seemed nothing else for us to do but bluff
these robbers and we did it. We invented marvelous
stories of fights we were having every day. It worked.
I suppose that those fellows decided that if they at-
tempted to kill us and take our horses some of their
number would be killed. We kept on bragging and
watching for Rinehart to signal that he was ready. We
were getting very tired and running out of stories, and
we did not know what moment those fellows might de-
cide to begin shooting. Finally, much to our relief we
saw Rinehart 's signal. We knew that when we started

IM) PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

away it would be the crucial moment and we felt anxi-
ous to have it over.

We did not exactly back out of the yard but we
talked jovially all the time moving slowly toward the
fzate. When we had gotten through and mounted our
horses we started off laughing and calling back to them
as though we were enjoying ourselves hugely, which
we >yere'nt. To our great surprise they did not attempt
to stop us. We found Rinehart ready and mounted and
we were very glad to leave.

I have often thought of this circumstance and be-
lieve so far as personal danger was concerned, I have
never experienced a worse situation than this one. I
think our bravado and apparent unconcern helped us
somewhat, but undoubtedly we were taken care of and
protected by kind providence. These men were lawless,
were deserters, and were known as the worst type of
robbers. We were told tluit they did not hesitate to
commit murder yet we made our escape without a
scratch.

Our return to camp occupied about two and one
lialf days and was a hard and laborious trip for our
horses and ourselves. We wrre almost famished for food
before we reached the Little Levels, and our horses were
tired out and weak for lack of food and their feet were
so sore that they were bleeding.

In a couple of wrecks after our return to camp,
Harry Caton received word from his sister in Wheeling
to come to that city. He 'rot permission to make an-
other scout into West Virginia. He was of a very ad-
venturous disposition and lu» went alone.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 91

We know very little as to what happened to him
before his capture (for he was captured) and almost
nothing as to what occurred afterwards.

He wrote a short letter to Miss Mary J. Fox, from
Wheeling. It seems that he went to Wheeling to see
his sister who was the wife of the Sheriff of the county.
Then he went to Cincinnati and back by steamer. He
started from Wheeling south and somewhere about
Romney he was captured and sent to prison at Point
Lookout. He was then carried to Fortress Monroe on
the last vessel of exchanged prisoners before the war
ended.

I was near Richmond at the time and confidently
expected to see him but did not. I advertised for him
and tried every means in my power to find him but could
not. He was a gallant gentleman and as good a soldier
as I ever knew.

A circumstance occurred when the whole party of
ten of us were together on my trip into Harrison Coun-
ty, detailed above. When we were in Webster County,
we passed through the County seat one day, but the
only building was the Court House built of rails and
small poles, a temporary building erected for the Court
after the burning of the little town.

This was the only instance I have ever known of
the entire destruction of a town either big or little. I
think it was on the same day we passed through Web-
ster Court House that we found night very close upon
us and it was raining and we were all wet and muddy
and hungry and no place to stay. We came to a settlers
house of about three rooms and several in the family.
I asked if we could stay all night and get our suppers.

92 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

They told us they did not have any bread and if we
would ^rate the meal from the new corn they would
make the bread. Several of the boys went to work
and in the course of an hour we had plenty of meal.

They baked as prood bread at that house as I ever
ate. I don't remember what else they had, but I do
remember that we had a delicious meal and the principal
thing we had was corn bread made from the new corn.

New Recruits

A short time after our return from this scout, we
were told that Maj. Thomas Armsby had just come
through to the Levels brinj;ing two or three hundred
men to join different commands of our Army. I went
down to meet them and quite a number of the men came
up with me and joined tlie 19th and 20th Cavalry.

Among these new recruits was a large splendid
fellow by name of John Ilammat, from Wood County
on the Ohio River. He was a large man weighing about
250 pounds tlien. Jle and 1 became friends soon after
he joined us. He was a good man and a trusty and
faithful soldier. Wo lived neighbors after the war for
many years.

Soon after these men joined us, we moved to the
east side of the Alleghany Mountains and about 13 miles
from Huntersville.

The commanding officer ordered 18 men sent on a
scout down to Huntersville to feel out the enemy and
find out how strong he was. This was a volunteer scout
and I was in it. My horse liad a sore back and I found
one of the boys that had a good horse and expected

PRIVATE JOHN IIKNRY CAMMACK 93

to go on the scout. I told him if he would take my
horse and stay with the wagon train if they moved,
that I would take good cvve of his horse on the trip,
lie agreed and we made a temporary trade. "We were
commanded by a Captain and a Lieut, though there was
another man, a Lieut. Williams with us. He went
simply as a soldier in the luirty. My friend John Ham-
mat was one of the eighteen.

Hunting for Trouble

We arrived at our old Camp Northwest, on Buck
Creek, three miles from Huntersville, without incident
worth mentioning. At that point five men were sent
forward and ordered to go on until we found the Fed-
erals. I was one of the five sent forward. The road
was down a gorge and was very narrow, with the river
or Buck Creek on one side often ten feet to the water
and sometimes only three feet. On the other side of
the road was a steep bank. The understanding was
that thirteen were to remain at Camp Northwest, as
a reserve. The three commissioned officers remained
with the reserve.

We had gone perhaps one and a half miles down
the gorge and had neither seen nor heard anything
of the enemy, when we came to a sharp turn in the
road. I was very tired and I dismounted and threw
the bridle rein over my horses head and sat down on
a log that was beside the road. I had no sooner struck
the log than I heard a pistol crack and thundering of
horses feet coming round the turn. I sprang on my
horse as soon as possible, but our boys had passed me

94 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

and by the time I started back the Federal Cavalry
were very close to me. We liad a hard race for a mile
and then suddenly met our reserves in that narrow road
with their horses toward us. Of course it was confus-
ing: and difficult for them to p:et their horses turned
and get out of the way and very valuable time was lost
which jrave the enemy time to be almost on us before
we were nearly out of the narrow road and where the
bank was only about three feet to the water. ^ly horse
struck a shelving; rock in the road and went over the
bank into tlie water. lie landed on Jiis feet however.
Fearful of being: killed or captured, 1 made every effort
to get back into the road and urjrinp: him with spur
and rein 1 lifted him for the spring: into the road, which
lie made reachinjj: just a little in front of the oncomin":
cavalry. I thoujrht for a minute or two I was a **f;oner",
because they were so close they were striking? at me with
their sabres and firing all the time. Near this point
the road ran into the creek, and for one hundred yards
the road was in the creek. The splashing of the water
was such that I couldn't see very well, but I found at
one point a horse which had been shot down and
the rider Lieut. Yv^'illiams struggling to keep his head
above water. One of his legs had been caught under
the- horse. I feared my horse would fall over the man
and horse and I urged him and he made tlie jump
lengthwise of the animal and never touched him.

We soon turned out of the creek and seventy-five
yards further away came to a small bridge thrown over
a little stream that poured into the creek. On this
little bridge two horses had gone down in front of me.
'Mv horse cleared them both and I beiran to think I

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 95

could g:ct away. One of the men who had lost his
horse at the little bridpre was running and he called
to me to take him up. I could not. Had I paused to
take him up, we would both have been captured or
killed.

T was now bearinj^ to the left toward a little hill
where I could see a few of our men had gathered. I
reached the hill and found the Captain and a few men
there. As soon as I got up we began firing and held
them off for perhaps twenty minutes. I suppose I had
only fired half a dozen times when the lock of my cav-
alry rifle broke and I could not use it. We were obliged
to rein our horses over the brow of the hill and load,
then move quickly on the ridge and fire, reining the
horses back again while we loaded. There was a con-
siderable number of the enemy, probably l]00, right in
front of us at the hill. As soon as my gun had broken
I pushed up on the ridge and remained there while the
fight lasted. I could not afford to stay over the ridge
even if my gun was broken, \ have always been glad
that it happened that way because I had nothing to do
but watch the enemy.

There was about three hundred of them and half
of them dismounted at the creek and were sent up
through the woods to get in our rear. As the road at
this point was in the shiine of a liorse shoe we were
nearly at the point of the horse shoe.

Seeing clearly what they were doing I told the
Captain, but he was excited and he swore that we would
give them a few more rounds anyway. I kept watching
these dismounted men until they had reached the top
of the hill and then they would have to go even a less

96 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

distance than we to cut olT our retreat. Finally I show-
ed the Captain what they were doinj: and that we had
barely time by hard riding' to jret out. He did order
a retreat very re<rretfully, but lie ordered tlie retreat
instantly and when we passed the point where they
would have cut us off, we barely liad time to save our-
selves. We lost in this little fijjht twelve or thirteen
men killed or captured. There was only about six of
us got back to Camp.

I have always thou«^dit it was a <;reat mistake on
tUe part of the Commander to send so small a force
so far in front of the Army, and then I think an officer
should be al)le to keep his command under discipline,
lie should refrain from riskinj; his men where nothing
is promised but the excitement of the fighting.

I was a witness that day of a very remarkable
thing. One of these men, who was a first class soldier,
became panic stricken after the fight was over and to
my mind all, or nearly all, danger had passed. This
man unbuckled his sword and pistol belt, and threw
his weapons away and gallo])('d to the rear as fast as
his horse could go.

I cannot give a continuous account of happenings
during these four years. 1 did not keep a dairy and I
have forgotten nariies and dates and in fact very many
important events with which I was closely connected.
I have deferred the writing of those reminiscences too
long. I find that I cannot recall the names of men
with whom I was intimately associated.

East of Warm Spring Mountain

During the fall of ISG'), we fell back to the East
side of the warm Spring ^Mountain. The enemv in

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 97

hea\'y force was followiiijr us closely. Wlien we came
to the river three miles from Warm Sprinpr's, Charley
^rartin and I were anxious to <ro up the river two or
three miles to ?et dinner and to see two young ladies
up there with whom we were acquainted. Col. Amett
at first refused to let us ^ro, but finally said, **you can
jro, but if you are captured and ever return to the repri-
ment, I will court martial you." We went, found the
folks at home, prot a lunch and found the whole family
momentarily expecting: the enemy.

One of our boys in the Rejriment had a horse there
on pasture. I knew the Federals would capture him
and soon after reach in jr the house I sent a colored man
for him and had him hitched near the g:ate and close
to my horse.

The ladies and Charley and T came out to the gate
or stile and were chatting when a negro boy ran up
and yelled, ''the Yankees 'am a comin,." We looked
down through the orchard and they were coming .sure
enough.

Charley jumped on his horse and .started, but, I
decided to change saddles and lead my horse. It took
two or three precious minutes to do this and when I
mounted and started the Yankees were very close and
my **led" horse was moving ver.v slowly, and I was
urging him to come on.

I had to cross the river near the house and as soon
as I reached the other side, I persuaded both horses into
a gallop. We had more than one-half mile to run to
the foot of the mountain. "^Hien we reached the woods
and had gone a short distance I overtook a small negro
boy riding behind some cattle trying to get them to a

98 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

place of safety. The little negro was crying with all
his might and the tears streaming down his face. His
master was off on the flank trying to keep the cattle up
in the mountain road. I asked the boy wliat was the
matter. lie burst out afresh and said, ''I wish to God
I was in the woods som'whar." I couldn't help but
laugh, because tlie forest was absolutely so dense around
us. We went a round-about way, but we got into Warm
Springs about two and one-lialf hours after the Com-
mand.

Mr. ;Mayo, the proprietor of the Warm Springs
Hotel, was very much alarmed, wlien Gen. W. L. Jack-
.son declined to stop and fight at Warm Springs. The
General told him his force was not equal to that of the
enemy and he would be obliged to go on.

There were about 4,500 of the Federals and 1,800
of us.

We crossed tlic Warm Spring Mountain just in
front of the enemy, tliough tliey did not follow farther
than the towns of Warm Si)rings and Germantown. We
camped on the east side of tlie mountain that night.
The next morning the General decided to cross the
mountain and drive the enemy out of the Springs.

The first detachment that went over the mountain
was commanded by Col. Will Arnett. When we reached
the west side of the mountain we turned into a small
field.

Hunting for the Enemy

Presently volunteers were called for to go down
into Warm Springs and Germantown and see if the
enemy were still there. When no one responded, old

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK »9

(Jen. Wiley got up from the ground and said, **I don't
think I am too old to go in the advance and find out.*'
Instantly a number of us volunteered to go. I was
among the number, and seven of us went forward. We
were more afraid of an ambush. However, the Feder-
als had vacated the towns. We followed them almost
to Hot Springs, about four miles from the Warm
Springs. They felled a good many trees across the
road to hinder the pursuit.

After following them four miles we turned back
and reported to the command, which had now moved
forward and camped at the Springs.

Dr. McChesney lived at Germantown. When we,
the scouts or advance, followed close after the Federals,
as they went out of town, nearly all the women and
children were out in the streets, shouting and laughing
and rejoicing. When we were nearly opposite the Mc-
Chesney home, Mrs. McChesney came out into the street
in front of us shouting and throwing her baby up and
catching it in her hands.

She was the mother of about six children. She was
about 38 years old and I have often thought the hand-
somest woman of her age I have even seen. She was
the daughter of a celebrated family in Southwest Vir-
ginia by the name of Moffett.

General Jackson was ordered to move that evening
to the Gatewood farm on Buck Creek to get in front
of the Federal General who was being pursued by Mc-
Causlands brigade. Our command for some reason un-
known to us did not march until six hours later. Had
we gotten the position we were expected to take at Gate-
wood 's and with McCausland pressing them in the rear,

100 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

there is no doubt but that a great part of Averills army,
with his Artillery and wagon train, would have fallen
into our hands.

As it was we arrived at Gatewood in less than an
hour after Averill's rear passed and about the time we
arrived MeCausland came up. I have never heard the
matter explained and there was doubtless a good reason
for our not moving on, but we always believed that,
notwithstanding the fact that the Federal army was
much larger and better equipped than Jackson and Me-
Causland, his command would have fallen into our
hands, after a sharp struggle, maybe, but, we felt that
we could have done it.

Anything to Get Grub

A rather funny incident occurred the morning
after we had crossed over Warm Spring mountain and
some days before the march to Gatewoods. We did
not receive orders to camp until about 9:30 P. M. and
tlien found there was nothing to eat for either man
or horse. I walked about a mile and a half to get a
couple of sheafs of oats for my horse, then I lay down
and slept without anything to eat. The next morning
we had nothing to eat, but Lieut. Boggs came around
where Charley ^Eartin and I were standing, boastine
that he had just enjoyed a good breakfast over at the
house, pointing at a large farm house near, owned by
a "widow lady. Boggs said he represented himself as
Colonel someone, I have forgotten who, and he made
an impression on the widow. She gave him a good
breakfast and he was invited to return. Charlev Mar-

PRIVATE JOHN HKNRY CAMMACK lOl

tin and I were hungry and we went over to the house
and insisted on seeing the widow. Martin very gravely
introduced me as Maj. Cammack and I introduced him
as Lieut. Marti <. 1 asked the lady if a large man in
good uniform -4itJ been t. ere that morning represent-
ing himself as n Ool. and getting his breakfast. I told
her I was very sorry that one of our young Lieut's
should act so dishonorably and that I should have him
punished. The lady was very indignant at the impo-
sition practiced on her by Boggs. She finally thought
of her duty as hostess to us and invited us to breakfast.
After we had partaken heartily we were invited to
come back whenever we could and eat with her again.
We too i our leave with many regrets and went
back to camp and told Boggs.

Battle of Droop Mountain

The battle of Droop Mountain took place shortly
after this. 1 had been ordered to Richmond, Virginia
to recruit and to bring out the men to Jackson 's brigade.
The command moved to Droop Mountain, had the en-
gagement, and had returned to Buck Creek, while I
was away in Richmond.

Soon after this time, as I remember it was near the
first of December, 1863, my health became bad again
and the surgeon of our Brigade insisted that I should
go as far east as Richmond, Virginia, and join myself
to some command there and remain through the winter.
I am continually worried by a failure to remember
interesting dates and names of people in writing these
reminiscences, but, sometimes I cannot remember occur-

102 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

rences during: a period of as much as two or three
months, and then I have only very hazy recollections
of happenings during this period.

I kept no notes nor diary at all^^during the war.
Now after fifty years have ^one by .^ Jind I can only
remember a part of the stirring thii^g^^ -that occurred
from sixty-one to sixty-five and I am very sorry that
I did not write of these things soon after the war, when
they were fresh in my mind.

I went to Fluvanna County, Virginia, to Uncle
Peter Manley's sometime in December, 1863. On the
1st day of January, 1864, I got into Richmond early
in the morning, landing there on a James river canal
boat. For many years this first day of ^January, '64,
was spoken of as the coldest day Richmond ever had.

Around Richmond

I do not know what the strength of our army was
that defended Richmond at that time. But the enemy
were not investing the city as they did later in the
year.

At this time Gen. Braxton Bragg, had command
of the Department of Richmond, which I suppose in-
cluded Drewrys BluiT, and Chaffins Bluff, two strongly
fortified places on the James river.

We had a line of fortifications running around
the city beginning three miles from the city on the
west at the river and running a few miles out, entirely
encompassing the city and going into the river just
below Chaffins Bluff. This line of works was said to
be thirty-five miles long. These earthworks were about

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 103

fifteen feet at tlio base and something like seven feet
thick at the top, except at intervals of about three hun-
dred yards. There were redoubts built, which were
much thicker and occasionally forts built. These forts
and redoubts, and all the fortifications in this inner
line were built of heavy timber and filled ^vith earth.

Every redoubt had guns mounted, the largest of
these pieces were thirty-twos. When I came to Rich-
mond the first day of January, 1864, I purposed to join
Gen. Morgan, who was being lionized greatly at that
time, he having recently made his escape from Camp
Chase. His brother-in-law, Gen. Brazil Duke, was there
also. I tried to join myself with Morgan's command,
but as a matter of fact my health appeared to be so
bad they were afraid to take me in.

Hence it was that I entered the service there in
the Tenth Artillery doing service at that time around
the whole interior line of fortifications. The Captain
of my Company C, was a man by the name of Barlow.
He was a fine looking soldier about 36 years old. He
had a company of men numbering 130. I went into
the mess in which his brother Jim Barlow, and his half
brother, a man by the name of Sam Pollock, were mem-
bers. There were only about six of us in the mess.

One of the first incidents that I remember after
joining the company was when Capt. Barlow invited me
to come to his quarters one evening. We talked about
the field service and some occurrences in soldier experi-
ences. During the conversation I was induced to make
what I have always considered a bad break, or at best
a very untimely remark. It was this. I told Barlow
that the men in his command appeared as much afraid

1(M PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

of Lieutenants and Ca])tains as other soldiers where
I had been serving: were of Generals. I saw at once that
Captain Barlow did not like this remark. He was a
strict disciplinarian and in fact a regular martinet, and
was not willin<^ that any soldier in his command should
think of an officer other than as a grreat man that he
must be entirely >subservient to.

Barlow liked me as a soldier, but he disliked my
rather free way of looking at Commissioned OtBcers.
The Captain evidently liad it in for me, and whenever
he had an opportiinity he made me remember it.

An Untimely Raid

One of the first bouts with the enemy was, I think,
in February '64, Gen. Gilpatrick and Gen. Dahlgreen
of the Federal Army conceived the brilliant idea of
making a raid inside our lines and releasing all the
prisoners confined at Belle Isle, and other prisons, then
looting the city and possibly capturing it. Our au-
thorities were not aware of this movement until the
federal cavalry were actually within our lines. We
were double quicked, acting as infantry about eight
or nine miles, from below the city to the north west
where we met the raiders.

I remember it was a very rain}' night and at that
season of tlie year not very warm. ^Fy shoes, which
had been issued to me the day before this march, were
made for the navy and were not sewed or pegged, but
were put together witli gum paste. Of course the slush
and' mud in which I was obliged to go soon caused them
to come to pieces. The soles were gone, the uppers
flapping about my ankles, but my feet in the mud.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 10r»

This was anything but pleasant to me. We made
a pretty good fire when we halted, but there was only
one fire for the whole company and as a matter fact
I did not get close to it at all.

The attack was made on the lines about two hours
later and Gen. Dahlgroen was killed about three hun-
dred yards to our left.

The raid made by the enemy was successfully re-
pulsed. We were ordered back next morning about
ten o'clock. I think it would have been hard to find a
more wet, muddy and forlorn command than we were
as we marched back that day to our camp. Some, like
myself, were actually barefooted, dragging along
through the mud and water.

Getting Shoes

I made a request for a pair of shoes that day, but
Capt. Barlow said none would be issued me because
I had just had a pair. The next day I was ordered on
guard duty up the line about a mile. I refused to go
unless shoes were issued to me or that I be sent in
command of the guard. In the latter event I would
have no sentry duty to perform. I was a little surprised
to be soon ordered to this redoubt in command of the
guard, but the shoes wore again refused. During the
afternoon of that day the Colonel in command came
as was the custom to make an inspection of the redoubt.
The Colonel rode up and after the salute by the sentry,
he asked for the officer in command. I immediately
stepped out of the hut, dressed as follows: I think I
wore a home-made straw hat, I do not know what sort

106 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

of shirt, a pair of old grey trousers with one suspender
and barefooted. I carried an Enfield rifle, which I
very properly brouglit to a Present Arms. The Colonel
returned the salute and said, ''I want to see the officer
in command of this redoubt." I kept my face perfectly
straight and answered, "I have the honor sir, to be in
command here." I could see that he was very amused
at my appearance as an oiHcer, but we went through
with the inspection, the Colonel remaining as dignified
as only an Old Army officer knows how to be.

When the inspection was over, the Colonel saluted
and started away. I stopped him and said I had a
small matter to talk about. He graciously gave me
permission to talk and I exi)lained my appearing before
him barefooted, because my Captain declined to issue
me a pair of shoes. The Colonel did not interrupt
until 1 was through, he then said "I will see, sir, that
the shoes are issued to you."

I went down to Cam]^ for a few minutes during
the day and met the Captnin. He had already heard
of the matter and had been directed to issue me a pair

of shoes. He said, **D it all, I hear you have been

talking to the Colonel !" I said, "Yes, I have explained
the matter to the Colonel and I think I will get the
shoes." I got the shoes alright, but Capt. Barlow, did
not get in a good humor with me.

When I joined the company of Capt. Barlow, there
was a verbal agreement tliat I should be transferred
to the Cavalry and field service when the winter had
passed. When the spring time came, I very naturally
wanted to go back to the army in the valley or fronting

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAAIMACK 107

Western Virginia. This notion was opposed by Capt.
Barlow. Then I found a good man to put in my place,
who was a member of the 10th Virginia Cavalry and
whose home was near Richmond. This, also, Barlow
refused, although the soldier was a first-class one. Bar-
low then told me plainly that "He'd be D d if he

intended to let me go out of his Company.''

From that time on there was much dislike between
us. I was very careful to give him no opportunity to
use his authority against me. We had a little scrap of
words one day and I told him that he might watch as
closely as he pleased, but that he would never have a
good reason for putting me in the guard house, or
punishing me in any way. I think he watched for an
opportunity to humiliate me in some way, but never
found it. On one occasion though, he made the most
of what he thought was a good chance at me. It was
at inspection of Arms. This usually occurred just after
Roll Call, early in the morning. There was about the
full number, 130 present and the Captain in going
through inspection examined my gun critically. After
it was over, he stood in front of the Company and
ordered a man by the name of Hubbard and myself
to step three paces to the front. We did so and then
he ordered us back to our quarters and to clean our
guns. As a matter of fact my gun was clean but it
was a bronzed barrel. I had traded my rifle to one of
the company because the bronzed barrel did not need
much rubbing. Of course Capt. Barlow knew my gun
was clean, but all the Company could not know it and
he intended the orders he gave as a reflection on me.

108 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Another ElQfort

Sometime in February or March the euemy in our
front, near Mechanicsville made an effort to break
through our lines at that point and get into the city.
Gen. Braxton Bragg, who was in command of the de-
partment of Richmond at that time, brought his forces
from several points on the interior lines where they
could be spared and hurried them to the point on the
Mechanicsville road. Tir. engagement was of short
duration, and the Federals were driven back.

A rather queer incident occurred on this quick
march. We had two men in our company, Haskin
Brothers, one of them was an excellent soldier, but
the other was not. On the march referred to we were
within about seven hundred yards of the firing line,
when one of these brothers took a violent pain in his
stomach and laid down on the side of the road. A num-
ber of us tried to get him to go on but he would not.
Awhile after this we were hurrying down to ^[alvern
Hill at night, having been ordered to move (juickly.
This man fell out of ranks and we soon heard the re-
port of a musket and on investigating the case found
that he had placed the muzzle of his rifle against the
toe of his shoe nearly severing one toe on his foot and
cutting his big toe badly. He said that he was clean-
ing his gun at the time and that it went off accidentally.
Farther on I will mention one more incident in regard
to this man.

Several gun boats had come up the river to Mal-
vern Hill and landed some troops. Gen. Ewell with
a portion of Anderson's division and some other troops

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAAIMACK 1(»9

went down in a hurry to meet them. About five of the
gun boats got our range about sundown and we held
the hill until about three-fourths of an hour after dusk,
when we were compelled to retire toward our breast
works. While at Malvern Hill, we were probably eight
miles from our lines. Soon after we were ordered
back, we were halted and ordered not to fall out of
ranks. We were all nearly tired to death, but some
fellow and myself decided that we would drop out of
ranks and slip into some heavy pine timber through
which the road ran and get a good rest on the heavy
bed of pine needles that covered all the ground. We
slipped out of ranks alriglit and went into the timber
a couple of hundred yards and were just about to lay
down, when several shells came over very close to us
and tore into the trees, cutting the whole tops out of
the trees and letting them down so near us we were
afraid we would be killed. These shells thrown at us.
were called by us "nail kegs", because they were about
as large as nail kegs, and 18 or 20 inche.*^ long. We
decided we would get out and move on, which we did.
overtaking the command several miles further on.

Now I don't imagine that the Federal gunners
knew that my comrade and 1 were in that timber, but
they knew that our little army was passing through on
the road and they succeeded in making it very un-
pleasant for us and we moved briskly to get out of the
way.

While we were camped below Richmond, we were
very close to a large anrl beautiful plantation of an
old friend of the Hon. John Minor Botts, who lived
near Charlestown, Virginia. I knew this man verv

110 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

• ___^

well. He became very much opposed to the Confeder-
ate Government and had frequent cases of trouble with
them. I have always thought that if the Confederate
Government had treated Francis Stearns more kindly
he would have been united to the .cause with hooks of
steel. One incident occurrinor before T knew him helps
to confirm this opinion.

Francis Stearns

Early in the war a Cavalry Company was orsran
ized at Richmond and Mr. Stearns invited the whole
company and their families to banquet with him in his
beautiful home. The invitation was accepted and the
company, one hundred stronp:, came. Now there was
a servant who stood in front of every horse and took
them and fed them. Tlie mothers and sisters of these
men were also invited. Two prreat tables had been
prepared, one for the ladies, presided over by Mrs.
Stearns and the other for the men, where Mr. Stearns
made a speech, commendinjr the men for their patriotic
response to the call of their country. Amonjr other
thincrs he said was that "No soldier should ever pass
his gate hun<rry, durinjr the war. *' The State and con-
federate States as well, seem to liave resented the in-
timate friendsliip between ■Mr. Stearns and John Minor
Botts, probably because Hotts had stood with all of
his power ajrainst 4:he state of Virprinia in the matter
secession. Stearns was a fiery man and when he
thouorht the government had him somewhat under sus-
picion, he got angry and allowed them to think the
worst of him.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAIVIMACK 111

He was arrested and imprisoned for disloyalty
to Virginia.

I have good reason to think that if he was an
enemy, that he became one throuprh unjust suspicion
and ill treatment.

The summer of '64 was made up of drilling, roll
calls and (luiek marches from one point to another
along our tremendously long front.

Grant Fails

I think it was in June of that year that Gen. Grant
tiring of his attempts to take Richmond from the north
side, instituted his daring (>ffort by the left flank march,
after the battle of the wilderness. The intention nf
the Federal General was to cross the river some twenty
miles below Richmond, but constantly as he moved by
the left flank, he found Leo's army in his front. Finally
a very bloody battle was fought at Cold Harbor, north-
cast of Richmond. I think that scarcely any battle of
the war was more bloody. Grant had force enough to
withstand his dreadful losses there, and in a few days
lie took up his line of march again for the front of
Petersburg. There was only a small force of men oc-
cupying the interior line of defense around Richmond
during '63 and until after the battle of Cold Harbor
in '64.

During the whole of eighteen hundred and sixty
four, my command was in front of Richmond. When
the many scouts and si)ies located here and thei'e. at dif-
ferent points discovered that the enemy proj^osed break-
ing through, then we were sent there. As the head of

112 PERSONAL RECOLLKCTIONS OF

Grant's column reached the James River and was pre
parinjr to cross and invest Petersburg, our command
was hurried to a point about four miles from the river
but when we p:ot there the enemy's camp fires were
smoking, they havinjr just cooked three days rations
and moved toward the river.

I think that Gen. Lee would have preferred for
Grant to cross the river, rather than to have fought
another general engagement at that time.

Desertions

Our army was fearfully reduced by tlie casualties
of the many battles they had fought that year and with
sickness, captures and desertion. I am sorry to say
that desertion constituted a very serious loss to the army
of northern Virginia. If the loss by desertion had
been altogether of the worthless fellows in the army,
we could have stood it better but, as a matter of fact,
very many excellent soldiers received letters from their
homes and received reports of tlie suffering and priva-
tions of their families until their patriotism became
entirely overshadowed by the love they bore their
families. A large number of such men as these took
*' French leave", never returning. Some of the men
who ran away from the army and went to their homes
saw to their families the best they could and returned
to the army.

From what little history I know, my conviction
is that the best army the whole world has ever seen
was the Confederate Army. A very large number of
the men were intelligent and refined. In almost everv

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 113

company there could have been found a number of
privates entirely equal to and often superior to the
man who commanded them. I have the opinion that
this army was as well disciplined for fiji:hting purposes
as any that ever existed. There were men in it from
every walk of life and yet the whole of them bore the
worst privations and hardships including: hunger and
cold as if they enjoyed it.

After the war I lived awhile at Marietta, Ohio.
Several people wantinj? to make me feel comfortable
said, '*We don't blame you, we know that you had to
go in the army and could not help it."

I was obliged to tell them to not waste any sym-
pathy on me, that I went into this army because I
wanted to and that I never saw the day I couldn't
have gotten away if I had wanted to.

Libby Prison

"We did guard duty for about six or eight weeks
at Libby Prison, Libby No. 2 and at Castle Thunder.
T was also at Belle Island one night.

I will explain that at Libby Prison, Union officers
alone were kept. I do not know how many were there
at any one time, but probably as many as 1,200. They
were as comfortably fixed as they would have been in
quarters arranged by themselves. The building was
an old tobacco factory, two stories high, with a base-
ment, or cellar underneath. The building was about
three hundred and fifty feet long. It fronted on Canal
Street and on Cary Street.

I was ordered into the two floors of this officers
building several times, when thev would refuse to at-

114 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

tend roll call. I talked to a good many of them. They
did not complain of the fare, only as to its cheapness,
r have seen several bushels of com bread at a time,
thrown out of the windows of that second floor, and as
you have seen ho^rs (grabbing corn thrown to them, so
I have seen children of the city, white and black, watch-
ing for the throwing out of this bread, so they could
grab it as pigs rush and grab ears of corn when they
are being fed.

Libby number two, was a prison, also a tobacco
factory, where sometimes about !)00 men were kept.

The Irish Beat Me

Two ratlier amusing things occurred here. One
was a ca.^e in which I was one of the actors. I was
sentinel at one end of this building. By some means
a large hole had been made in the brick work and the
prisoners would frequently come to that hole and talk
to us. One night I was on guard duty at that point
and I heard a rich Irish voice ''Sentinel, Sentinel," I
answered him, going up close to the hole. He said,
''I want to trade you a new all-wool navy blue shirt
for some wheat bread." Well we dickered some and
I agreed to give- him so many loaves. I could not de-
liver the bread until' I could go up town and buy it,
but on my next turn of duty, T would deliver it and
get the shirt. T bought his seven loaves, paying, I
think 30 cents per loaf for it. When I went to ex-
change the bread for the shirt, I said, **Now remember,
I won't have an old shirt." Then he swore that this
•shirt had never been on a man's back. *'Now," said

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 115

he, **You take hold of part of the shirt and give me
hold of part of the bread package." This I did and
then hd let go of the shirt and I of the bread at the
same time and the trade was made. The trouble about
this matter came a little later. I stuffed my newly-
acquired, clean, na\'y-blue shirt into the bosom of my
overcoat and, when relief came, I hurried back to the
guard house and lay down to sleep. I was very un-
comfortable and when daylight came, I found that my
fine Irish friend had allowed me to have an old worn
out blue shirt that had probably never been washed
and was full of lice. It is needless to say that this old
shirt had filled my clothing, not with gray-backs, but
with the worst breed of blue-backs.

The other incident I think of took place at this
same prison. The guard room was directly under one
of the prison rooms. The ceiling in the guard room
was about 13i/^ feet high : In the middle of the guard
room was a trap door, about 3x31/2 ^eet wide in the
ceiling, opening into the prisoners room. One of our
men traded something, I don't remember what, to a
Yankee up there for a blanket. Our fellow stood on
a table and reached up catching hold of the end of the
blanket. Tlie fellow reached down and got hold of
whatever was being traded him and then shouted,
"hoist away". Three or four Yankees were holding
onto the blanket up there and at the word they pulled
away with a will. Our man. Oilman, had wrapped the
end of the blanket around his wrist so that he couldn^t
let go very quickly, when his head struck the ceiling it
was with considerable force, he let go of the end of
the blanket and dropped to the floor. He was hurt

116 PERSONAL UECOLLECTIONS OF

right much and lost out in the trade. He had been
badly used by tlie prisoners but he could not complain
because it was a violation of the military rules for
him to even answer a question asked by a prisoner,
much less to have a trade with one of them.

The Famous Libby Canal

It was in Libby Prison that the famous tunnel
was cut, which allowed the escape of a large number
of Union officers. The building stood on a corner.
They seemed to have had easy access into the cellar
of the prison and no one has ever told how long they
were engaged in digging the tunnel. There could only
one dig at a time and he would bring the dirt out in
his pockets and scatter it, or more probably hide it
in'^a dark corner of the cellar. It was said to have
been an excellent piece of engineering skill. The tun-
nel, large enough to admit a man's body, went down
below and under the foundation of the prison, then
east under the sidewalk, then under the street and out
into a stall in a livery stable. I do not remember how
many escaped, but I think about 270, nearly all of them
were captured and returned to prison.

I was fortunate in knowing a man at Libby pris-
on, who was a very fine cook, and he had charge of
the kitchen in the preparation of the meals for Capt.
Turner and other officers of the prison. His name was
Jesse Walker. He married a cousin of mine and was
detailed from the 44t]i Virginia to this service. Jesse
gave me very many good meals at their table during
my service in front of Richmond in 1864.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK llT

President Davis

I remember a very exciting thinpr that occurred
in front of the prison one day. Pres. Davis, went down
on a vessel from Rockets to some point below to examine
the river defenses and when he returned he got off
the boat and walked up to his residence. He was alone
and he came up Canal Street by the prison. When
lie stepped up on the sidewalk at the lower end of the
building one of the sentinels posted on the walk to pre-
vent people from walking close to the windows, halted
him and directed him to walk in the street. Mr. Davis
seems to have not known about the order to keep in
the street and he was quite indignant at the man order-
ing him out| of the way, telling him that he was Mr.
Davis, President of the Confederacy. The sentinel still
refused to let him pass and Mr. Davis always carried
a; sword cane. He was so angry that he sprung the
sword and lunged at the man. The man was not sure
that he was the President, but he feared that he was.
He backed away from him and called the Officer of the
Guard, who came runiiing and had the sentry taken
to Castle Thunder, which was the place where our own
political prisoners and all spies were incarcerated.

Mr. Davis, was unreasoning in his anger at the man
who obeyed his orders to keep everyone off the side-
walk at the prison. I think the sentinel would have
been court martialed, but when the news of this out-
rage reached our camp a large body of our men rebelled
and were going up to attack Castle Thunder and take
the man out. When this news came to the authorities
some of them hastily looked into the matter and called

118 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

on the President and had the man released, thus ending
a very unpleasant matter that bid fair to have a bloody
ending.

We had a man by the name of St. John, son of
Bishop St. John of the Episcopal church in Richmond.
This young man was a very clever bright! young man
and a good soldier, but he was dreadfully afSicted with
chronic diarrhoea. Up to almost the last of 1864 he was
still a victim of the disease.

I knew one man in this company who actually died
of the **itch". This ailment is often laughed at by
those who do not know how serious it may become. I
had it a number of times myself and I have known
scores of men who were sufferers from it. Once I
got some mercurial salve and rubbed all over me. I got
well soon after this, but I have known of men dying
from the use of this ointment and then taking cold.

During the summer of '64, we were hard put to
it in getting enough to eat. In my mess there were
six of us. Wm. Barlow, brother of the Captain of
our Company and Tom Pollock, half brother of the
Barlows, and three other men whose names have been
forgotten. I remember we went down to the fields
of Francis Stearns and gleaned after the wheat harvest
and dried the heads of wheat on our blankets, then
rubbed them in our hands blowing the chaff away.
We thus gathered II/2 bushels of wheat which we carried
to a little water mill up the line and had it ground.
We baked hot cakes with all the bran in it. We could
not afford to lose any part of it.

One of our mess was a man of great appetite. He
was never known to have enough. We were compelled

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 119

in self defense, to divide the bread into as many parts
as there was members in the mess so that we might
share equally. We brouj,'ht pumpkins up after night
and put them in our tent, using them sparingly.

Slim "Picking"

The coffee berry was not to be had from the Com-
missary except at long intervals. During this year
there was three months from one issuance of coffee to
the next, and then 1 counted the grains received for
three days ration and found just thirty two (32) grains.
We would get meat issued but about once in from two
to three months. I have paid one dollar for a cold
sweet potato.

Our menu generally consisted of one-half pint of
blackeyed peas, one gill of very weak sorghum and one
pint of cornmeal unsifted and notwithstanding all of
this, we, that is our company, seldom lost; a man by
desertion.

We had a man by the name of Abinoe that de-
serted. He was a sharp, shrewd fellow, lazy and a
natural born liar, if there ever was any such person.
On one charge or another he spent about half of his
time in the guard house.

Close Together

Along in October, '64, the Federal lines and ours
were about two hundred and twenty-five yards apart
and there was an agreement that if a man from either
side got more than one-half the distance between the
lines he must not be fired on. One morning Abinoe

120 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

was on duty as a picket. He picked up a paper and
climbed out of the rifle pit and said that he believed
that he would go out there and trade papers. No one
objected and when he got half way between the lines
he sprinted, and before anyone could shoot he was so
close to the enemy's line that he went in safely.

One other case of desertion came to my notice in
this immediate part of our line. In this case about
seven men and a Lieut, were involved. These men were
all on the picket line one dark night and I suppose had
persuaded themselves tliat tliis was the best opportunity
they would ever have to go 1 3 the Yankees. They start-
ed about 2:30 A. M. but \m(\ forgotten that our line
made a sharp turn not far from where they started,
so instead of walking into the enemy's lines as they
had expected to do, they walked over and were received
into the Confederate lines. The case was so clear
against them that they made no denial nor defense.
•They were executed as soon as the formality of a court
martial could be gone through with next day.

While we were at this camp I went over to Mr.
Franklin Stearns one day, hoping to get some fresli
buttermilk. Mr Stearns was out on the porch and he
was very clever to me and invited me in and I talked
with him for half an hour. He urged me to come back
and see him, which I did many times. John Minor
Botts, the Congressman, was a particular friend of his
' and he was full of the opinions so often expressed by
that statesman, in opposition to State Rights, Southern
Rights and Secession, and it seemed to me every prin-
ciple that Virginia stood for.

One day, when we were talking about State Rights,
and I had given that as a reason for the South going

PRIVATE JOHN HKNRY CAMMACK 121

into war, Mr. Stearns said, "D State Rights, I

am going to send my boys to Europe as fast as they
become old enough to go into the Army."

Mr. Stearns became very objectionable to the Gov-
ernment and on account of some of his utterances and
acts, he was arrested and put in prison as a disloyal
Southern man. He got out of prison, but was very
much embittered against the Confederate Government.
From what I know of him I think that he could have
been retained as a warm and useful friend of the South
had it not been for some illadvised things said and done
by some ultra Southern men, who were not friendly to
^[r. Stearns. lie was a very rich man.

The interior lines around Richmond were about
thirty-five miles long and after General Grant made
his famous flank movement to tho left and crossed
Petersburg, wc had very few trooi)s on the north side,
except those on this interior line. Often we had a
very thin line protecting Richmond. I have known our
forces reduced to not more than one thousand to the
mile. We had redoubts thrown up at intervals of about
eight hundred yards along this line, mounted heavy with
guns, especially on the east and south.

We had been hurriedly called out of this interior
line one day and sent down on the Charles city road
where we had some artillery to meet the enemy who
were about to enter the city at that point.

It happened that while we were in line not far
from the Rockbridge Battery, I saw a group of officers
on their horses close to us. I drew a little nearer and
recognized Gen. R. E. Lee, President Davis and Gen.
Lawton. There were a number of other officers also.

122 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

A few minutes afterwards an orderly galloped up to
Gen. Lee and saluting said, **The Colonel sends his
compliments to Gen. Lee and says he does not need any
infantry to support his battery."

The Rockbridge Battery was one of the most fam-
ous organizations in the army and the same battery
that Bob Lee, the son of Robert E. Lee belonged as a
private.

It was not often the case that a battery of Artillery
felt so able to take care of themselves that they could
afford to decline the Infantj-y support offered them.

Dr. Mary Walker

During this year of 1864, our command was help-
ing guard the prisoners in Richmond. I think I have
mentioned this before, but there comes to me now an
incident that I will relate. One morning I was sent
to Castle Thunder, a prison in which spies, deserters
and disloyal southern people were kept. Soon after
going on duty I passed the door of a prisoner, a comely
looking young woman, that was not very striking in
appearance, except that she was dressed oddly. She
wore a bloomer costume. She told me her name was
Miss Dr. Mary E. Walker. She had been arrested as
a spy. I do not kno\v how soon she got out of prison.
I saw her on the street guarded by a policeman, who
had taken her to the Provost Marshals office. He was
very much ashamed to be seen on the street with her,
when she had such a peculiar dress. Everybody guyed
him a great deal.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 123

Volunteers

One evening about the middle of September, our
company was ordered into line and we were told that
eight volunteers were wanted from this company. No
other explanation was given. I do not know how many
responded, but I happened to be one of the men.

We immediately got ready and marched to Rockets,
the steam boat landing, where we went on board a boat
with several hundred men. None of us knew where wo
were going.

The river had boats sunk here and there and mines
laid to prevent the enemy's vessels from coming up,
but our pilot understood the river route alright and
about two o'clock, we landed opposite Dutch Gap Canal
at Signal Hill. Gen. Butler was cutting a canal through
the bend, which would shorten the distance twenty or
more miles. There were about 400 of us sent to this
point to build bomb proofs, to prevent Butler from
carrying out his purpose.

We were constantly under the fire of his guns for
a good many days and nights and all the time we were
there one-half of the command worked on the bomb-
proofs while the other half stood in line with our guns
ready for action.

At night I think we placed a guard and got what
sleep we could. The great noise of the big guns firing
over and around us was not easy to sleep through, al-
though we got used to it.

This 400 men was made up of volunteers from
probably sixty different commands. The officer in
charge was a Major, I cannot recall his name. He was

Ili4 PERSONAL KECDLLECTIONS OF

a man about thirty-five years old, but not a pleasant
person at all. He was very overbearing and was much
disliked among the men.

One morning about four o'clock we were all arous-
ed and drew three day's rations and began a hurried
march back toward the city. After marching several
miles in the direction of Foi't Harrison, which was just
outside of our interior lines, and on a small hill, we
found that the enemy liad followed us with a large
army corps.

The Battle of Fort Harrison, Sept 29

■ We hurried along, feeling that P^'ort Harrison
would be a good place in case of a fight.

Bushrod Johnson's Brigade, now only about 350
men, having been badly used up during the summer
by figliting and sickness, covered our rear. We entered
the Fort which had about seven thirty-two pound guns
mounted and some smaller pieces. By the time we
entered the Fort the enemy's sharpshooters were within
less than three hundred yards of the walls. The men
who were in charge of the Fort that morning were a
mere handful and when they saw Gen. Howard's corps
crossing the plain behind the few of us in front of
Johnson, they left their guns and nearly all the men
went in the direction of Richmond.

Soon after we had taken position in the Fort and
commenced firing, the enemy formed several brigades,
four lines deep and made a tremendous attack on the
left wing of the Fort. The fighting was dreadful. We
got most of the guns manned, but not all of them got

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 125

into action, because we did not have enough men who
understood handling those big guns to work on them.

I suppose we held the place about forty-five min-
utes.

We had, in the beginning of the fight, about six
hundred and sixty men, including the remnant of Bush-
rod Johnson's brigade. Johnson's men were few in
number and were almost exhausted when they reached
the Fort.

The enemy finally captured the right wing of our
Fort, thus driving us farther left. When we first came
into the fight, I was carrying our bacon strung in small
strips, like fish are carried. I threw it over on the
parapet and we went to loading and shooting as fast
as we could. When we were ordered to the left, Tom
Pollard, my mess-mate, grabbed the meat and brought
it along. I did not think of it.

When we were in position over on the left, Tom
said to me, "Mac, what in the name of God will 1 do
with the meat?" I said to him: "To the devil with
the meat, throw it in that shanty behind us. If we
ever get out of this, we can get it and if we do not,
we won't need it."

The enemy came up to within about seventy-five
yards of the parapet and I think they did not gain a
yard for about ten minutes, but, there were too many.
We could not hold nor drive them back. I was standing
where there was an opening in the wall to let artillery
in, and out of the fort. I knew it was not a pleasant
place for me, but in the excitement and confusion of
the night, I thought of nothing else to do than to stay
there. About that time I heard some extra loud shout-

lliO PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

ing and looking to my right I saw a color bearer with
a number of his comrades on top of the fort about fifty
feet from me. The man was jabbing the staff in the
earth, trying to plant the standard. I fired at him
as he was jabbing the staff in the ground. He fell for-
ward on his knees and then backward. Two other men
told me they fired at that color bearer at the same mo-
ment that I did. I never knew to a certaintyf that I
ever shot and killed anyone during the war.

The Major of whom I spoke above as having com-
mand at Signal Hill, was killed in this action. Col.
Hughes took command. When the first Federal line
was about thirty feet outside the parapet from where
I was standing, Col. Hughes spurred his horse across
this military road and almost into their line and emptied
his revolver in their faces. As he reined the horse back
they were grabbing at his hoi^es bridle. Then he turned
the animal and was jumping him across this military
road. While the horse was making the leap he was shot
and fell. The rider must have fallen fifteen feet. In
the meantime I had .started td the rear and as I ran
past the Col., who had just fallen, I glanced down at
him and at that moment he jumped up and we ran off
together. Of course the Federals streamed into the
l)lace, many, many thousands of them.

Too Much For Us

As I ran off Tom Pollard called at me to not
run so fast, he was lame and could not keep up. I
glanced over my shoulder and told Tom I was sorry
for him, but I didn't have time to stop. Some of these

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 127

big thirty-twos and fours had been loaded before the
cannon iers were driven off and the Yankees turned them
on us. I confess that the worst fear I had at that time
was being shot in the back with some of that grape or
canister.

We had about 650 men in the Fort, and we were
attacked by something over 16,000 men. We only car-
ried about fifty men out of the fight, the others were
killed, wounded and captured.

There was a line of rifle pits from the interior
line toward the river at Chafins Bluff. Those rifle pits
started from the line about six hundred yards above
Fort Harrison. I stopped at this place and with the
help of a Lieut, from Georgia, succeeded in rallying a
lot of the soldiers who had been driven from the Fort
and the line at other points. I suppose we had close
to 150 men together, when Gen. Ervel appeared and
ordered us to go into Fort Davis, a redoubt not far
from us. He said he would have 15,000 men there
in twenty minutes and we must hold the line until they
cflme. We rushed in there and found about 200 men
and six pieces of light artillery. Just as we were en-
tering the redoubts I looked over toward Richmond
and saw about three batteries of artillery coming. Tn
the meantime the enemy had extended their lines to
the right and had opened fire on our redoubt. Gen.
Howard concentrated twenty-four pieces of artillery
on that redoubt. The Infantry, only a few hundred
men, used all the cartridges we had and some of the
men ran to the rear to ordnance wagons and brought
ammunition in their handkerchiefs.

During this fight I saw every man at the guns
o'O down. The one man who did not fall, the gunner.

128 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

loaded and fired three times himself. We were ordered
to fix bayonets to prevent the enemy from taking the
redoubt. We were then firing: on second shell. They
were so close that one of our men jumped on the parapet
and shouted to a lot of men that had ^rotten up close to
the walls to ** throw down their jruns and come in.**
190 Federals did so.

Wounded

About this time the man commandinpr the redoubt
climbed up a post about midway of the redoubt. A can-
non ball struck him a side swipe across the back and
he fell to the jrround. Before doinj? so he shouted,
"Don't jrive up the Fort!" Four men picked up the
man and started to the rear' and three of them were
shot and they let the body drop. I never knew any-
thing? more about the man, but suppose that he died.
About this time I was wounded. I happened to be
hit on a finprer with a bullet and on the riprht hip with
a piece of shell. The wound in my hand was sli^rht,
that in the hip was serious. I was just behind the
parapet, two feet hio^h, had my grnn raised to fire, my
finjrer on the tri<r?er, but at that moment a shell hit
the jrround on the parapet about three feet from me
and exploded, one piece hittino^ me in the riprht hip
and makinp: a wound about three inches lonj; and just
scraping? the bone. That side of me was instantly par-
alyzed and pretty soon I sank to the prround. Lieut.
Hunter, whom I knew very well, saw me p:o down and
he ran to me and said, "Mac, are you hurt?" I said
that I thouirht I was done for, because I thouprht I had
been hit bv a minnie and it had crone clear throucrh

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 129

me. Turner undid the waistbands of my pants and
examined the wound and said that I was worth several
dead men yet, that I was hurt by a piece of shell. I
was greatly relieved at finding I had been hit by a
piece of shell instead of a bullet going through me.

Just before this I saw a horse hit three times by as
many shells before he hit the ground. The evening
before this fight, Gen. Lee was out-generaled by Gren.
Grant. On what he thought was trustworthy informa-
tion (that Gen. Grant would attack Petersburg) Lee
moved thirty-five thousand men over to the south side.
As a matter of fact Grant had planned an attack on the
north side from Signal Hill.

I think Grant came \ery nearly being successful
in getting into Richmond that day. Late in the after-
noon of this day, reinforcements sufficient to hold the
line came up and we held nearly all the interior lines
east of Harrison, though the Federals made a fierce
and prolonged effort to capture the Stockade Fort, one-
third of a mile east of where I was wounded. The
Federals used troops for the most part at the Stockade
Fort and a large number of them were killed in their
efforts to break inside the enclosure. For the most part
they were killed in the moat, but the bodies of the others
were thrown in the moat and dirt shoveled over to
cover them. Two or three months after that I noticed
some of the skulls of these men lying about on the
ground in that neighborhood.

I was sent that evening out with the guards to
take prisoners up to Richmond.

I was very lame but using my gun as a staff, I
got up to a point oppositej our camp about six miles

130 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

from the city and I was sent over to the old camp where
a few of our sick men were left when we w^ere sent
away. The sur<^eon came in that night and dressed
my wound, the first attention that I had. I think the
piece of sliell that hit me had torn and taken away
out of my pants and drawers pieces of cloth as
large as my hand. I was unable for duty for about
twelve days.

Gettins: Very Bad

After we left the lines that day with the prisoners,
I was hobbling along close to one of them, (they were
marching in fours) when some one reached around my
shoulders and caught the canteen strap that was around
the neck of the prisoner next to whom I was walking.
He being startled cried out. Turning I saw a soldier
trying to take tlie strap from around his neck. I
brought my gun to a charge bayonet and told the fellow
if he didn't let go of that strap I would run my bayonet
in him. He dropped his grasp of the strap and ran on
ahead of us. I was greatly surprised a few minutes
later to find that this fellow was a Captain and was
in command of the guard over the prisoners. I sup-
posed wlien I heard that he was the officer in command
that 1 would get into trouble for what I had done, but
I heard nothing more about it afterwards. I have al-
ways been glad that he was not an officer in a Virginia
command. We stopped on the way to rest and the
prisoner whom I had befriended opened his haversack
and gave me a lunch of bread and boiled ham. I had
not tasted food since the day before and was very
hungry.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 131

We were badly put to it while I was laying around
up at the camp, for something to eat. As I remember,
there was five or six sick sick or crippled up men. One
of the boys got a beefs head and I furnished the pump-
kin. I think the stuff was boiled a good many hours.
I did not think it tasted good or was clean for that
matter, but this kind of food was better than nothing.

Fort Harrison having fallen into the hands of
the enemy on September, 29th, it became necessary to
build a fortification on the west, parallel with that and
about three hundred yards from it. Shortly after this
we had a terrible artillery duel one day. We opened
some of our light battery guns and about 25 mortars
on the line and Fort in front of us. We never knew
what their losses were, but although they opened a large
number of guns on us the execution was not very great.
I have never heard any greater noise made by guns
than that day.

It would have been foolish on our part to storm
the place because it had a moat in front of it and an
abattis in front of that and then small bombs very
thickly planted in front of the abattis rendering the
place almost invincible.

Refined Cruelty

The Captain of my company, knowing that the
artillery duel was coming off that day, sent two guards
up to the old camp and brought down a man confined
there in the guardhouse. His name was Haskins, the
man I have already referred to as firing his gun between
his toes and nearly severing one of them. The Captain

132 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

had him brought down to enjoy the noise of the guns.
A good many of us thought it was a refinement of
cruelty. The man could not stand gun fire, although
he had a brother in our company w^ho was as good a
soldier as we had.

The days dragged on slowly into winter. Most of
the land down in that section liad been covered with a
thick growth of pine, little and big. The ground was
all cut over for firewood and for fortification timber.

The wagon hauling out wood used to come along
in the morning and throw off five or six pieces to the
mess, which had to last twenty-four hours. We were
not very particular about the cooking because there
was not much of this to do. Rut in rainy weather and
when the weather was cold, tliis green, wet pine wood
made little else than smoke, and we nearly froze.

I was detailed for a time in the Engineer Corps,
cutting and carrying timber for fortifications. This
was exceedingly hard labor, but it was preferable to
laying along the wet and muddy lines and doing camp
and picket duty.

In Close Contact

Along this part of our front, we were less than

two hundred and fifty yards apart. One morning one

of the negro soldiers across from us picked up his coffee

pot from the fire, in plain view of us and, pouring some

.good coffee into a tin cup, hallowed out, 'Svouldn't you

sons of like to have some» good coffee?" One

of our fellows quickly raised his guns and fired, killing
the negro.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 133

This was strictly against orders. We were com-
manded not to fire into the enemy without orders lest
we bring: on a general engagement. The soldier who
tlius disobeyed orders was arrested and taken to Castle
Thunder prison at onee. 1 never knew what was further
done with him. No general fight occurred on account
of it He said he wouldn't let any nigger talk to him
that way. We had no better coffee thar^ rye or corn
meal would make and even such as this would make
was scarce.

Daily Growing Worse

The situation of our army around Richmond and
Petersburg was daily growing more difficult. With
plenty of good food I think Gen. Lee could and would
have maintained his lines around the two cities for a
year or maybe two years longer without reinforcements,
but the question of food supply had long been a live
one, both among officers and men.

When November 1st came, we had practically but
one railroad from which to get supplies, the one from
Weldon, North Carolina. But is became more and
more difficult for the quartermasters to ship sufficient
supplies from the south. We had been really cut off
from obtaining any supplies from over the Fredericks-
burg road, because the land had become almost barren
from over culture and then from lack of culture. From
the west over the Virginia Central, very little could be
had. The land was so impoverished it would barely
feed its sparsely inhabited people.

The Valley of Virginia had been and was being
robbed of everything that would feed a crow, as the

134 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Federal General put it. The South Side Railroad
from Lynchburg might have brought the supplies, but
they were not to be had. Inroads and raids had been
made here and there from all points of the compass by
the enemy. There was not enough supplies in the
counties we controlled to feed the army.

Real hunger was 'felt by almost all our people.
Sacrifices! Yes, greater than I have ever known were
made by Southern women. It was a rare case too that
any of them spoke ill of the government or wanted us
to stop the war and submit.

Loyal Negroes

We had a vast number of negro people among
us. Our women and children all over the South were
not at all afraid of them. Nearly all of them stayed
while men went to war. They worked hard on the
farms and took care of the white folks. Very few cases
of anything but loyalty to their masters ever occurred.

When the Federals came into a community, though,
they had nearly all the servants leave home and go with
them. I have known of a great many cases where the
black men and women refused to leave their white folks,
preferring to stay and work and take care of them.

Very often it was that Federal soldiers took negroes
away from their homes, by force, saying that these
darkies had been slaves so long they did not know
any better than to stay slaves.

Many Federal soldiers honestly sympathized with
the negroes when they saw them in these southern homes,
and they believed if they would leave they would assert

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 135

themselves and be happy in knowing themselves to be
free men.

While here I was detailed to work with the en-
gineer force. A great many men were thus engaged.
Our duty was to fell trees from six inches to twelve or
sixteen inches in diameter, trim them up and carry them
out to where the wagons could get them. Sometimes
a cut would be taken out as long as forty-five or more
feet. Enough men would get under the weight to carry
it. These timbers were usually of pine, but sometimes
of oak and ash timber. They were used in making
fortifications. I remember the chief officer, under whom
I served, directed that a certain man, a great big fellow,
whose name I do not now remember, should carry with
me. We used the handspike and were on opposite sides
of the log. This fellow weighed about one hundred
and eighty-five pounds and was a great boaster about
his ability to lift. I weighed about one hundred and
thirty-two. This fellow was very anxious to pull me
down in the lifting and sometimes I saw lots of stars
in daylight, but I was always on the watch and almost
always succeeded in getting the long end of the hand
spike. In this way only, could I lift against this man.
The fellow worried about the matter a good deal and
believed me to be the strongest man for my weight
that he had ever seen.

Our camp was in low ground between the fort and
the river and as I remember we had a great deal of rain,
and when November came in, we had chilly weather
and an insufficient amount of wood for fire, and clothing
and food to make us comfortable.

136 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

Camouflage

Our interior lines behind which we stood to pro-
tect Richmond were about thirty-five miles long. The
Federals had in front of us, at times, about one hundred
and seventy thousand men. Their force in front of
Petersburg was about one hundred and twenty-five
thousand men. We resorted to double quickeninj» our
bands along the lines and to the making of fires and
other things to leave the impression that we had a much
larger number of troops than we actually had.

There was no time between October 15th and Jan-
uary, 1865 but that our lines might have been rushed
in a hundred different places by the Federals with
twenty-five thousand men and the city taken.

Gen. Lee and his Lieutenants handled the army
in such a way that the enemy believed we had two or
three times the force that we had. All this too on less
than half rations. I have said that during the late
fall of 1864 and during the remainder of the winter,
our supplies for the army about Richmond and Peters-
burg were all too small because the enemy had succeeded
in cutting practically all of our transportation from the
south except by one railroad.

There were ver\' frequent skirmishes along nnd
around the lines on both sides of the river.

I have not attempted to give anything like a de-
tailed account of the operations in front of Richmond
during this year 1864, first because much of it could
only be had by a lengthy looking up of authority for
the ofiScial statements of occurrences and in the second
place I am intending only to give, for the most part,

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 137

some little sketches of thinprs that occurred that raij^ht
not otherwise be told.

A Dark Christmas

I think that Christmas, 1864, in and about Rich-
mond was both in the city and on the lines, about as
devoid of comfort and cheer as any Christmas that Rich-
mond ever experienced. The city was constantly menac-
ed by an enemy of much g^reater force than we had.
Then a very large number of people both in the army
and in the city, had become jrreatly discouraged and
felt that we would never win our independence as a
nation. Almost everyone was hungry and did not have
enough food to make them comfortable. Then, too, the
army contained many thousands of men who knew that
their families were suffering for food and they were
only restrained by their patriotism from deserting the
colors and going home. In addition to this, there were
many thousands of non-combatants that could not have
even one good meal in twenty-four hours. The fine
Christmas dinner which the people had enjoyed, was
impossible. The toys and candies, and scores of pleas-
ant things that children always enjoyed, was impossible.

Colonel Street

In the first part of 1864, I made the acquaintance
of a fine old gentleman from the state of Mississippi,
by the name of Col. Street. President Davis and this
man were very firm friends. Col. Street was Mayor of
Vicksburg and Mr. Davis practiced law in his Court.
There was an abiding friendship which lasted during

► 138 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

the lifetime of the President. I think it was in Febni-
. ary, 1864 when I met Col. Street for the first time.
Our liking was mutual, notwithstanding the difference
in our ages. The Col. was probably about seventy-five
years old at that time, full of life and vim. a celebrated
lawyer, a great traveler, of very kindly heart and pleas-
ing address. I felt a great liking for the man and also
felt much honored when he invited me to his house for
dinner and afterwards wanted that I would make his
house my home. I think Col. Street refugeed with about
forty of his servants to Richmond in 1863. His wife
was dead and I think he had no children living. Col.
Street was a wise man and a statesman. It was said
that he was the confidential advisor of the President.
I often met him and always felt better for having
known him.

Transferred

I have referred to the fact that I had made several
applications for a transfer to another regiment engaged
in service fronting north AVest Virginia. But in each
case as I have above recounted, my application had been
disapproved because the Captain of my company al-
ways disapproved of my i:?tting a transfer. Late in
1864, being under the con:imand of Maj. Gen. Custis
Lee, and having some social acquaintance with him.
I went over to his headquarters and advised with him
about the matter. He was very kind and finding that
Gen. Pemberton, the commander of the District of
Richmond, had refused my application because Capt.
Barlow had disapproved, he said that if he was in my

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 139

place he would write Gen. R. E. Lee, and explain the
situation and he thoujrht that would get it. This I
did and ray application was returned to the battalion
approved, although Capt. Barlow had turned it down.
I had certain evidence that my application had been
returned with the approval of Gen. Lee, but the ^laj.
of my battalion and the Captain of my company de-
cided they would not give it to me. I waited to hear
from them for several days after I knew that the paper
had come back from Gen. Lee, with his approval and
then I decided to go, in spite of their withholding the
paper.

Therefore on the seventh or the ninth of January,
1865, I asked for a twenty-four hour pass to go to
Richmond. This was the longest time for which a
pass could be obtained.

After reaching the city, I hunted up my friend
Col. Street and told him I wanted a pass to go to
Gordonsville and related the circumstances to him. He
said that he would go with me. He took me to Gen.
Winder's office. Winder was at that time Provost Mar-
shall and in command of the city of Richmond. When
we entered the office, Col. Street introduced me to an
officer as his friend Maj. Cammack. He ordered that
he give me a passport over the Virginia Central to
Gordonsville. The officer was very clever and ordered
it written at once. WTiile this was being done he con-
versed with me very pleasantly and wished me a happy
trip.

I bade Col. Street good bye about eleven o'clock and
took the train at 17th and Main for Gordonsville, which
I reached between two and three o'clock that afternoon.

140 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

I do not remember how far below Gordonsville in the
direction of Orange Court house that I found my old
Regiment, the 20th Cavalry, on the twenty-third of
December. Previous to my arrival the brigade, or a
considerable part of it, had an engagement with the
enemy, known as the battle of Gordonsville. The officers
and men of my regiment were glad to see me.

Rejoining My Regiment

I explained to Col. Ariiett how it came about that
I reported in the manner I did. He was very glad
1 had decided to come back to the regiment. Some days
after this Capt. Barlow, sent a letter to Col. Arnett,
a.sking if I was with his Regiment and requesting that
I be .sent back to Richmond. Col. Arnett answered
him and said, *'Yes, he is here and if you send for him
you would best send as much as a brigade of soldiers
if you expect to take him back."

Shortly after this our Regiment went to Hightown
in Highland County to get feed for our horses and wait
there for mounts, a great many of the men having lost
their horses during the last campaign.

The animals we had were very poor and not able
to carry us. There is probably no better place in this
country for stock in winter, becau.se the land is rich
and particularly adapted to the growth of the finest
blue grass I ever saw. When the ground is not covered
deeply with snow in winter both cattle and horses can
get an abundance of luscious green gra.ss near the
ground. This was a fine place to have our Cavalry
horses in winter and particularly so because we could

PRIVATE JOHN IIENUY CAMMACK 141

<rct but very little grain to feed them. Rations for
ourselves were hard to got and we did not have mucli
variety of food.

One of the men and I went to a farm house looking
for dinner one day. Finding that a widow lived with
her little girl and two boys, ten and twelve years old
we proposed to cut up into firewood some trees near
her house and in return we would want something to
eat occasionally. This she readily agreed to give us.
Well, my partner was a strong man and a good wood
chop})er, and as the lady had plenty to eat we fared
sumptuously for a couple of weeks.

AVe had a young man in our command who was a
bright, jolly fellow, possessed of a fairly good education
and a good deal, of literary ability and with this lie
had a keen perception of humor and was usually the
life of the party.

A Good Joker

We were, as as I have said, hard put to it for
enough rations to live on. About fourteen of us occu-
pied the kitchen of an old abandoned farm house. One
evening the above mentioned young fellow said, **Boys
there has been a diabolical crime committed in this
community recently and T have gotten on to it and
lest something happens to me, (as I am the only wit-
ness) I have written down here and think you shouM
be in possession of the facts." Whereupon all the
boys became quiet and on tiptoe of expectation.

He began a very beautiful description of the fine
little valley in which we were encamped and told about
its settlement giving the names of a number of the

142 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

settlers and the present occupants of the farms ad-
jacent to us. The story went on to say that one even-
ing recently two men were seen by him to come through
the field about one hundred yards from where we now
stood. They stopped just after they crossed the fence
at the roadside. They whispered to each other for two
or three minutes and one of them drew a long keen
looking knife from under his coat and he could see by
the light of the moon tliat it shone like burnished silver.
Presently a noise was heard not far away on the road
as though someone was approaching. He felt vile
murder was about to be committed by these ruffians,
but he was frozen with friglit. He felt that his life
would in all probability be taken if he should let his
presence be knowTi by an outcry that would put the
coming one on his guard. He was torn by conflicting
feelings. He had recognized one of the villians and
knew him to be a man that loved bloodshed and he was
unarmed. He scarcely could contain himself but dared
not make a noise. It was probably only a minute or so,
but it seemed an age to the fellow, when he heard the
men move and saw them jump into the road and saw
one of the scoundrels raise his arm and strike. He
could scarcely retain his quietude any longer. He heard
a terrible groan and jumped into the road quickly and
found one of farmer Ruffner's hundred and fifty pound
hogs, bleeding to deatli from a deep gash cut in his
throat.

Defending Staunton

In the early spring not later tlian March 10th, we
received orders to move to the valley to prevent Sheri-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAJMMACK 143

dan from taking and occupying Staunton, Virginia, and
wiping out the small army of Gen. Early. Not more
than three fifths of the command was mounted. Our
horses had broken down, worn out, and many of them
were too far gone to recuperate, during our stay at
Ilightown. We moved on over to Augusta County, the
intention being to strike Sheridan in the flank and har-
rass him as much as possible.

Capt. Camp took out a detail of ten men, of whom
I was one, to go down tJirough Augusta County ami
impress a sufficient number of horses for our use. IIo
was instructed to give warrants or orders on the gov-
ernment to the owners.

I remember we came to a liouse not far from flossy
Creek, where we were informed that the farmer was not
at home. We knew he was kno\\Ti as a Union man and
we supposed he had gone to the enemy. We were met
with a flat refusal to let any of the horses go, althougli
they had several very good ones on the farm.

We saw two women, the mother and her daughter.
We took one horse for immediate use, promising to re-
turn the animal in two weeks. They refused to receive
an order for the price of the animal. One of those
women followed us a half mile with a gun trying to
shoot us. Nearly all along this valley near the mount-
ains were numerous families who were di.s-loyal to the
South. Some of the people were Dunkards or Friends
who were conscientiously opposed to war, and the gov-
ernment did not force sucli into the Army. Some, how-
ever, were opposed to the South and in every way pos-
sible gave information to the enemy and often gave
out stories to the detriment of their southern neiirhbors

144 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

causing: some to be killed or made prisoners and their
property confiscated or destroyed.

There were very many of these people who were
really bitter enemies to our cause, but they were, in
ver\' many cases, allowed to live amonj? our people
entirely unmolested and yet, as we had ?ood reason
to believe were doinj}^ everythinjr they could ajrainst our
cause and government.

That day, I remember, we came to a larp:e farm,
where they had seventeen liorses. The <?entleman was
at home and liis wife and two young ladies, his daught-
ers.

This gentleman was a breeder of horses and had a
few extra fine animals, one especially was the fastest
racker I had even seen.

The Lieut. Col. of our regiment told Capt. Camp
and myself, that he was especially anxious to have that
horse for himself. Tlie animal was an iron gray in
color, seven years old and weighed about eleven hun-
dred and fifty pounds, probably the best trained horse
in the valley of Virginia. Every member of the family
feared we would take him and the master of the house
began to argue and insist. He said if we would leave
Abdallah, he would give us three other horses.

The Capt. felt that our duty was to take the horse
with us. I objected and finally told him, I would
have nothing to do with taking him, and at last the
Capt. agreed to leave him. All three of the ladies were
at the barn crying bitterly because they thought we
were going to take their favorite horse. We left him
and I think we left about as happy a family as I ever
saw.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 145

Grandfather Bruce

Sheridan went down the valley that day, having
captured and destroyed Early's force at Waynesboro.
It was here that Gen. Wm. Harmon, the most famous
lawyer of Staunton, was killed. Mr. Bruce, a man at
that time more than ninety years old, who was my wife's
jrrandfathor, was walking up and down the porch at
Esq. Bruce 's house. Mr. Bruce was prone and there
was none of the family at home except the ladies and
the servants. They all took refuore in the cellar, but
jrrandfather would not pro. When his dauprhter-in-law,
Mrs. Bruce, came up and urpred him to pro to the cellar
he would not, and said, "Why should such a man as
I flee from bullets and hide myself." He had been a
soldier in his youth, was a Scotchman, and would not
hide himself from danprer.

Waynesboro, is a small town near the foot of the
Blue Ridpre mountains, the North river runninpr imme-
diately west of it, with a steep bank overlooking? the
town from the west. The waqron train was headed
toward the west with the troops drawn up on the west
side of the river. Sheridan attacked with a much larpr-
er force and drove our men into the river drowning
many of them and capturing? a considerable number
of them. The wapron train was captured and it was
said that Gen. Early went to Richmond with less than
fifty men.

Wliatever military critics may say condemnatory
of Gen. Earlys' work as a successful leader of an army,
it cannot be denied that on many fields he showed mili-
tary genius of a high degree, and his ability to fight

146 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

and his willm«rness to do so, were never questioned
by his solders, or newspaper critics.

He was a soldier in his youth after he left the
military academy, and he served in Mexico as Adj.
of a Regiment. After the Mexican war he went into
his law practice at Liberty, Virginia. After the war
of the sitxies he ])racticed his profession in Lynchburg,
Virginia.

That portion of our brigade that I had been with
at Hightown mounted itself on the way, as well and
quickly as we could and hurried to intercept Sheridan
on his retreat down the valley, after the Waynesboro
fight. Our only hope was to strike him in the flank
and worry him somewhat in his retreat. "We knew
we did not have half force enough to get into a general
engagement with this famous command at that time.

Wlien we reached the valley pike, we found that
the Federal rear guards had ])assed that point several
hours before our arrival.

At this point, during the most exciting events of
the war, dealing with the siege around Richmond and
the stirring finale of the Confederacy, father's story
abruptly ends.

There is evidence that he was arranging to com-
plete the narrative when his last . sickness overtook
Lim.

We know, in a large measure, what events followed.

Lee was finally overwhelmed by numbers. The
Federals kept on encroaching upon the fortifications

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 147

around Richmond. Neither supurb generalship nor
the intense loyalty and fighting ability of a band of
soldiers, such as the world has rarely seen, could com-
pensate for lack of munitions, food and men, in the
face of overwhelming numbers and equipment.

The final chapter came with the surrender of Lee
at Appamattox in April, 1865.

Father was not within the fortifications of Rich-
mond when this occurred. At his own request and
contrary to the wishes of Capt. Barlow he had been
transferred to his own regiment in the Valley of Vir-
ginia.

He has related many times that, while he was not
a ** fire-eater" and did not have a thirst for blood, that
yet, when they heard of the surrender, he and his
comrades could not believe it. They would not believe
it, in fact. They held counsels of war and planned that
if Lee had actually surrendered, they would start to
N. C. where there was a large body of Confederate
forces, would form a new nucleus and keep the fight
up, because they were sure of victory in the end.

After fuller information of the complete dismem-
berment of the Confederate forces had reached them,
they gave up this war-like plan, accepted honorable
discharges from the army, and each man, dispirited,
broken, overpowered, but still with head up and the
fires of loyalty burning as brightly as ever, started on
his way home to re-build what four years of bloody
conflict had torn down.

Father's health was so impaired from wounds and
constant exposures, that he was not able to undertake
the trip to his home in HaiTison County. Such money

148 PEKSOXAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

as he had received was worthless, so he could not pay
his way on the train. Therefore he went for a rest
to the always hospitable home of his Uncle Peter Manly
in P'liivanna County, where he remained until early
in June.

HavinfT recui)erated sufficiently he started walking
the three lumdred and fifty miles across the mountains
from Fluvanna County to his home in Harrison County,
which place he reached sore and weary after a month
of continuous walking.

There are no words tliat express the joy of his
father and mother upon his return. The only thing
that marred the joy of the family was that his brother
Lucius, who had gone forth with him from Clarksburg
on the 18th day of May over four years before, was
now in a poorly marked grave, where his body had been
placed following the battle of Cedar Mountain in Aug-
ust, 1862.

» He found his father's little farm in fairly good

shape and he resumed his work on the farm.

It would not be fitting tliat his plain and frank
story of his ex])eriences in the war should be ended
with a eulogy by the writer of this completing note.

In entering tlie Confederate army he was inspired
purely by love for his state and the cause it had es-
poused. He fought a good fight. He kept the faith.
He fought in the day when manhood and chivalry
dictated the rules of war. He came out of the con-
flict broken in body but unbroken in spirit.

He did his fighting during the course of the con-
flict, from 1861 to- 1865, and then stopped.

— L. H. C.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 140

From Eighteen Sixty-five to Nineteen-twenty

It was no doubt the intention of the writer of the
foregoing" personal recollections of the war, to com-
plete his task by filling in a few of the salient facts of
the intervening years, but with only brief notice his
health began rapidly to fail in the summer of 1919 and
there was hardly a time from then until his death, on
May 6th, 1920 when it was possible for him to continue
the narrative.

For this reason a few of the important facts of
liis life are given.

After Appamattox the outlook for the Southern
soldier under the reconstruction period and, with the
wreck of his home land facing him, was indeed gloomy.

But John Henry Caramack was a born optimist.
There was always a cheery fringe to the cloud. He
accepted the arbitrament of the sword and abode by
the decision. He quit fighting when Lee surrendered,
though as intimated in the last chapter, he wanted
to be good and sure that the fight was all over before
he laid down his arms.

After a rest in Fluvanna County, in the Spring
of 1865, he trudged his weary way across the mountains
to his father's home in Harrison County, now West
Virginia, and resumed his v;ork on the little farm.

In October 1866 lie was married to Mary Jane
Fox, and they began housekeeping in a cottage on the
banks of Elk Creek in Clarksburg.

He had learned the cigar making business in his
early youth, having worked at this trade in Staunton,
Virginia and at Lexington.

150 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

In the early part of 1868 he moved to "Williams-
town, W. Va. and started a cigar making business of
his own. On account of living conditions and work,
he moved to Marietta, Ohio, for a time" and then back
to Williamstown, where he built a home.

It was at Williamstown that he met Rev. W. P.
Walker, who was at that time pastor of the Williams-
town and Willow Island churches, and, although not
a church member, he became an ardent admirer and
warm personal friend of the pastor.

He was converted and joined the Williamstown
Baptist church in 1869 and the following year was
elected a deacon, which office he retained in the Wil-
liamstown and later on in the Huntington church for
over half a century.

Three children were born, Lucius H., John Willie
and Charles W. Willie died in infancy.

In 1875, in company with Capt. As. Athey and
some other friends he bought the steamer Cataraugus
and, for a time abandoning the cigar business, shipped
as clerk on the steamer wliich was plying the Little
Kanawha between Parkersburg and Elizabeth.

This experience lasted for a couple of years, after
which he sold his interest, moved to Marietta, Ohio, and
re-entered the cigar business.

His physician insisted that the close confinement
of the cigar factory and his tendency to smoke too much
was injuring his health and advised him to get out.
Brother Walker had, in the meantime, been called to
take charge of the little church which had been organiz-
ed in Huntington, a new town down the river from
Marietta, one hundred and thirty miles. He began

PRIVATE JOHN HENHY CAMMACK 151

urging his friend Cammack to move to Huntington
and enter some other line of business.

Finally arrangements were made for the move to
Huntington. In connection with a Mr. Campbell, the
Dana stock of ladies and gentlemen's wearing apparel
was bought and on the twenty-seventh day of February,
1878 the family, the household goods and the stock of
merchandise were shipped on the steamer Katie Stock-
dale for Huntington, arriving there before daylight
on the morning of the 28th. The family quartered at
the leading hotel, the Continental, owned by Felix
Ware and located at the corner of Second Avenue and
Eighth Street. This building has, in more recent years,
been used by the Union Mission, of which organization,
a son, C. W. Cammack, has been president.

The family moved into one-half of a double house
on Fourth Avenue, just below eighth street. This house
is one of the spots that has not suffered" any change in
forty years, but stands today, exactly as it did in
February, 1878, though very differently surrounded.

The wearing apparel business was started in the
Lallance building, on the corner of Third Avenue and
Eighth Street. At this time the Baptist church, under
the leadership of Dr. Walker, held its services in the
room upstairs over the store.

In 1890 he quit the merchandise business and in
company with his old comrade and friend, J. N. Potts,
entered the Real Estate and Insurance business in a
building where the Deardoff-Sisler store now stands.

Later on he went into the same business in part-
nership with his son C. W. Cammack, which relation
existed uninterruptedly until the time of his death.

152 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

In the spring of 1919 his health began to show a
marked decline. He was a soldier all the way through.
The outlook was always cheerful. He did not com-
plain except when in great pain, and then uniformly
laughed the matter off as of no importance.

Those about him could see readily that he was not
improving and consultation with doctors and specialists
was not reassuring.

The average man would probably have gone to bed
and given up hope, but he did not. Never for a moment
did he admit to anyone about him that he thought he
might not get well, until a few weeks before his final
call.

That front porch to the little bungalow at 638
Fifth Avenue, where he spent the most of his days for
a year and a half, was a cheerful spot and the mecca
for hundreds of visitors. They always found him smil-
ing, hospitable, thoughtful, always joking, never sad
or depressed.

The culmination of the tragedy came on the even-
ing of May sixth, 1920, after great torture, and yet,
only seven days before, he had lain on his cot and taken
an active part in the deliberations of Camp Garnett
Confederate Veterans, which body of comrades had held
its monthly meetings for a long time on this porch.

We would not write his epitaph. It is engraved
in the hearts of his family and friends as imperishably
as if chiseled in stone.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 153

Press Notices and Other Papers Relating to
the Life and Death of John Henry Cam-
mack.

From the Ilerald-Dispatch, Friday ^ May 7, 1920.

John Henry Cammack is dead. The end came to
this honored Huntingtonian at six o'clock, Thursday
evening: at his residence, 638 Fifth Avenue. He was
76 years old.

Death followed an illness which began more than
a year ago, but which was so resisted by this man of
unconquerable spirit that it confined him to his death
bed only about two weeks. The extremity of his sick-
ness developed about the beginning of the present week
and from that time it was realized that the end was
very near.

Watching beside him in these trying last hours,
as she had walked beside through a happy married life
of 54 years, was his wife, who, despite her years and
the weight of her sorrow at this separation, is bearing
up bravely.

His sons, Lucius H. Cammack and C. W. Cammack,
were also with him, when the end came.

Provisional funeral arrangements effected last
night fix the time for the services at 4 o'clock, Saturday

IW PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

afternoon. The funeral will probably be at the resi-
dence. Interment will be at Spring Hill cemetery.

In these days of intensive religious activities among
the young people of the land stress is being laid on the
development of the fourfold life, a development which
had a living exponent in John Henry Cammack, who,
as a man, soldier, citizen and churchman, stood forth
throughout life as one, of whom it might be truly said
that he stood four-square to every wind.

GALLANT SOLDIER

Among distinctions in life were that he was a gal-
lant soldier of the Confederacy, 50 years a deacon in
the Baptist church, for 15 years commander of Camp
Garnett and for 40 years a citizen of Huntington, hon-
orable and without reproach, dealing uprightly with all
and showing mercy and kindness wherever he might.

John Henry Cammack was bom on a farm in
Rockingham county, Virginia, on December 22, 1843.

As a boy he worked in Staunton, Va., and was
there when the Chesapeake & Ohio railway was building
in 1857. During this residence in Staunton he was
a Sunday school pupil of ?\Iary Baldwin, principal of
Mary Baldwin Seminary. For a time previous to the
war he w^as at Lexington, Va., and there his Sunday
school teacher was Professor T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson.

At the age of 17, May 18, 1861, he enlisted in the
Confederate army at Clarksburg, Harrison county, un-
der Captain A. M. Turner. His first engagement was
with Colonel Partridge at the taking of Grafton, May
21, 1861. He was in the first battle of Phillipi, June 1,

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 155

1861, and his regiment, the Thirty-first Virginia, was
on the famous Laurel hill retreat through Maryland,
finally making a stand at Monterey, Va., July 18, 1861.

WITH GENERAL GARNETT

He was with General Garnett (from whom Gar-
nett Camp, United Confederate Veterans, took its
name) 20 minutes before that officer was killed at Car-
rick's Ford, on Cheat river. He later served under
General Henry R. Jackson and Stonewall Jackson.

In January, 1862, wounded and sick, he was sent
to a hospital as incurable, but within a few weeks he
rejoined his regiment and took part in the seven days
battle around Richmond.

His service with the Confederate army ended only
with the surrender at Appomattox.

During the war his fathers ' family resided near
Clarksburg, and it was while on a visit home, to ac-
complish which he ran the lines of the enemy that he
met ^lolly Jane Fox, then a house guest of his mother.
This romantic meeting resulted in the marriage of the
young couple on October 7, 1866.

For a number of years after the war Mr. and Mrs.
Cammack lived at Williamstown. When they came to
Huntington, journeying down the Ohio river by steam-
boat, they found a village of 2,000 people. Mr. Cam-
mack entered the clothing business at Eighth street and
Third avenue, but in 1890 he entered the real estate
business with his old comrade, J. N. Potts. In more
recent years he was associated with his son, C. W. Cam-
mack, and W. L. Reece. As a real estate operator he

156 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

was a pioneer on lower Fourth avenue, and on the South
Side. His business career was never spectacular, but
was so consistently successful that he accumulated an
estate of no inconsiderable proportions.

WAS CHURCHi\LA.N

Mr. Cammack became a member of the Baptist
church in 1869 at ^Villiamstown, where he was ordained
as deacon in 1870. Durini:^ this long church life he
had but two pastors, Dr. W. P. Walker and Dr. M. L.
Wood. Dr. Walker was pastor at Williamstown before
he came to Huntington to become pastor of the Fifth
Avenue Baptist church.

In 1883 Mr. Cammack helped build the old Fifth
Avenue Baptist church at Fifth avenue and Tenth
street. He helped remodel and enlarge this church in
1895 and was on the building committee which directed
the construction of the new Temple at the corner of
Fifth avenue and Twelftli street, dedicated in April,
1919.

He was a Sunday school man and worker, and in
this field he sowed seed which brought forth much fruit,
as he organized the Sunday school which grew into the
Twentieth Street Baptist church, and later organized
a Sunday school at Central City, from which nucleus
the Washington Avenue Baptist church was evolved.

Much of the best thou;,ht and tenderest considera-
tion, especially during the closing years of his life, was
for his old comrades of tlie Confederate army. For
a year before his death Garnett Camp met regularly
at his home. The last meetinjr was held there on Satur-

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 157

(lay, April 29. Lying in his bed he took an active part
in the session and had a parting word with each member
of the camp.

He is survived by his widow, Mary J. Cammack,
two sons, L. H. and C. W, Cammack, two brothers,
Georfje A. Cammack of ^It. Vernon, Mo., Charles A.
Cammack of Ray, Colorado and two sisters, Mrs. Rebecca
Flint of Lincoln, Neb., and Mrs. Nellie McKeean of
Schuyler, Neb. A niece, "Miss Irene Flint, has been a
resident of Huntington for several years and was con-
stantlv with him during his long illness.

Editorial from The Hrrahl-Dispatch, Saturday May, 8.
JOHN HENRY CAMMACK

A sturdy pillar in the early foundation of Hunt-
ington is fallen. John Henry Cammack, who came
to Huntington in the first years of manhood, and to
whom it was given to sec the city of his choice and
his love scale the heights of progress, abundant in
people, abundant in civic and religioiLS institutions,
has finished a goodly life, and now sleeps the sleep of
the just.

While a man of peace and one whose life was
devoted to the upbuilding of peaceful institutions, ^Ir.
Cammack 's first contact with the stern realities of the
world impressed him to the last day of his seventy-six
years. For it was his opportunity — and none who knew
him well could say that he regarded it in any other
light — it was his opportunity, we repeat, to cast his

158 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

youthful fortunes with the South when fateful secti-
onal warfare arrayed the sons of America in deadly
hostility.

To be permitted to march under the glorious ban-
ners of Lee and Stonewall Jackson was a privilege of
which he never ceased to be proud, and the disciplined
mind and erect figure, the fruits of that experience,
were strikingly apparent through all the long years
between Appomattox and the hour of final rest, w^hich
came early Thursday evening. Wlien the war ended
he accepted the verdict; and, while cherishing with
never-failing devotion the ideals for which he fought,
he venerated the Stars and Stripes with true patriotic
fervor. Only Americans could fight as the men of the
South fought. They needed no repatriation when it
was over.

In his life in Huntington Mr. Cammack exempli-
fied the highest of citizen virtues. Dignified, kindly in
demeanor, he won the respect that leads to liking and
the confidence upon which true friendships rest.

Probably, in all his varied experiences, his career
as a churchman stamped itself most clearly upon the
community. From early manhood to the days of in-
firmity he was a tower of strength in Fiftli Avenue
Baptist church. From a struggling organization whose
first meetings were held in upstairs halls with smoking
oil lamps for lights, he followed this inspired organiza-
tion through the varying stages of its upward fortunes,
and enjoyed the blessed privilege of seeing it installed
in the magnificent temple it now occupies. Young
men went into that church with young Deacon Cam-
mack, and they grew old with him, day by day, Sunday

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 159

by Sunday, witnessing his never-failing devotion, his
never-shaken faith, his unfaltering trust.

It is because such records are so few that they
are noteworthy, and it is because of the life that made
this record that John Henry Cammack's memory as
a citizen, a churchman, a father and a husband will be
cherished as long as any of those live who have been
touched by its elevating influence.

160 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

THE FINAL SERVICE

Herald-Dispatch, Sunday, May 9.

''Beloved, farewell I We will meet in the new
morning: ! "

It was with these words that Dr. Matthew L. Wood,
over come by his own emotions and forced to close, end-
ed his discourse over the remains of John Henry Cam-
mack. It was a beautiful and fitting eulojry which he
pronounced at the funeral of this, his friend and coun-
selor, held Saturday afternoon at foar o'clock at the
Fifth Avenue Baptist church. He explained at the
outset that it was his duty as pastor of the church which
made it necessary for him to occupy the pulpit on this
occasion instead of sitting:, according,' to the promptinjrs
of his heart, in the front pew beside the sons of the dead
man. And the grief which he felt at the taking away
of ^Ir. Cammack was, in a large measure, reflected in
the hearts of the hundreds of people gathered for the
final tribute.

The altar of the beautiful temple in the building
of which Mr. Cammack had a part, was literally banked
with flowers which testified to the love of the many
senders for Mr. Cammack.

The mourning friends were shown to their places
in the pews by the deacons of the church, of whom the
decedent was one for fifty years.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 161

Preceding the body into the church came the hon-
orary pall bearers, members of Gamett Camp, United
Confederate Veterans, of which Mr. Cammack was com-
mander for fifteen years. There was almost a one
hundred per cent attendance on the part of the old
soldiers, now too feebb to take other than an honorary
part in the laying away of their comrades.

Next came the active pall bearers, members of the
Sunday school class which Mr. Cammack taught for
twenty years.

Huntington Chapter No. 150, and Jackson-Lee
Chapter, U. D. C. occupied spaces reserved for them.
Each chapter came as a body.

Mrs. J. Harold Ferg^uson was at the organ and as
the funeral party entered she played **Come Ye Dis-
consolate. ' '

The opening prayer was offered by Dr. S. Roger
Tyler, rector of Trinity Episcopal church.

The songs were rendered by a quartette composed
of Mrs. C. E. Haworth, Mrs. Carrie S. Collard, Randall
Reynolds and J. R. Marcum The opening song was
"Sunset and Evening Star.**

Dr. Tyler *s prayer followed and then a second
song **Home of the Soul," and the reading of the scrip-
ture by Dr. Wood.

OLD COMRADE'S TRIBUTE

Rev. W. J. Cocke, old comrade-in-arms and friend
of many years standing, then spoke words of tribute
to the memory of Mr. Cammack.

*'He was a Christian" he said, **and that means
he was Christly — he was a gentleman — he had run his

182 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

course well. ''Comrades", he said, turning to the mem-
bers of Garnett Camp, "we soon shall clasp his hand
once more on the other shore. He was a faithful sol-
dier of his country; he was an equally faithful soldier
of God. We should feel no sorrow for him, but should
rather rejoice that he has «;one over the river to rest
in the shade of the trees."

Following! his remarks he offered prayer for the
long continuation of the influence of the life of Deacon
Cammack,

Then the quartette sang, "Lead Me Gently", after
which Dr. Wood took his place and began speaking.

First expressing the grief which prompted him
to be a mourner, rather than a speaker, he then referred
to an early Christian whose name was Joseph, but who
was surnamed by liis brethern, Barnabus, or the son of
consolation — and who occupied a place, in proportion,
much like that accorded to tlie spirit of God — that of
comforter and helper, and of whom it was said he was
a good man, full of faith and the spirit, and much people
through him were led to the Lord."

To this man Dr. Wood likened the subject of his
eulogy, carrying the comparison further by saying that
like his scriptural i)rototype, ]\Ir. Cammack went about
doing good.

"To speak of his life in that inner circle, wherein
he was best known and most loved," said Dr. Wood,
"It may be said that for more than a half century of
wedded life he was a devoted lover: as tender and soli-
citous in the latter years as he was when as a young
and gallant, though warworn soldier he led his bride to
the altar.

PRIVATE JOHN HENRY CAMMACK 163

*'In his broader intercourse he was a courtly gen-
tleman, who carried himself with the unselfish digmty
of a royal prince. He was never happier than when
he could stretch forth his hand to help another. And
though I fear that in this modern age most of us art'
too busy for such things, he represented a type of
Christian gentleman wliich this world needs and will
always appreciate as one of his greatest assets.

* ' He was a brave soldier, who enlisted at seventeen
and followed the fortunes of the southern battle flag to
Appomattox. His record as a soldier was without a
stain. And, coming back from the war he faced life
with a courage just as great as that which he evinced
in war.

"Veterans", he said "turning to the little group
of gray haired men in the pews reserved for Camp
Garnett, "as I talked to him recently he said":

" 'Say to the veterans that 1 loved them and that
my sincere wish for every one of them is that he shall
be a true soldier of Jesus Christ."

"Don't disappoint him. You loved him. Follow
his example.

"He was devoted to Christ — and because it repre-
sented to him the ideals and the ministry of Christ he
was devoted to this church. He loved this church. He
remembered it in his prayers. His hands were always
busy with its tasks. He was a Christian for more than
fifty years— a deacon for more than fifty years. He
never had but two pastors. One of them, who led him
to Christ and baptized him and ordained him as deacon

164 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF

went before him — ah, have you thought of the fellow-
ship between them now?

* * To me he was a father and a brother ; a wise,
and faithful and sympathetic co-worker.

**Last Tuesday evening some of us had the rare
privilege of talking with him at a time when he seemed
to have gotten a glimpse of the glory of God as it lighted
up his sunset hour.

**He said — Friends if we miss God we miss every-
thing— if we have God we have everything."

Here the voice of the speaker faltered and he said :
'*I can't go on."

Looking down upon th^ casket he said:

** Beloved, good-bye, we'll meet in the new morn-
ing."

There were more than fifty automobiles in the
procession which followed the remains of this honored
man to the grave in Spring Hill cemetery. There, as
his body was committed to the earth, the Rev. John K.
Hitner, chaplain of Garnett Camp, offered prayer.

|W.I. .1. . , '" ■ ■ ' " , 11 ■ ■■■III ■ mn^

**^*"""*****"'**'^^' ' " ' — .-^-.l.^ .-'-■ ■ . II J__J1__1_I J

IN MEMORIAM

CAMP GARNETT No. 902, V. C. V.— OUR COMRADE AND
LATE COIVLMANDER JOHN HENRY CAMMACK.

John Henry Cammack has gone along the path
from which there is no turning back, and the world is
better because he lived in it. Throughout a long life
he has been for each succeeding generation, a shining
example: his courage and his gentleness have been
but the visible evidence of an unfaltering faith in the
all powerful divinity and inherent faith in the future,
''beyond this place of wrath and tears."

Comrade Cammack 's devotion to his church was
sincere and constant ; being ever among the first in ser-
vice, in prayer and in alms. His citizenship has been
marked by that integrity which directed all his doings
in, life, and he has left behind him a memory which
will be cherished by his comrades and fellowmen, who
have accorded him love and profound respect.

It was, however, in his family life that the true
beauty of his character shone; the atmosphere of his
home was a benediction and we who have been privileg-
ed to call ourselves his comrades, have realized that he
was the soul of that home; at once the spirit of peace
and the tower of strength — that rare combination which
can come only from a complete self lessness and a deep
rooted religious belief.

He has left to his good wife a memory of a life
without fear, and without reproach; to his children a
heritage more precious than gold ; to his comrades of
Camp Garnett a record of fixedness of purpose, fidelity
to duty, unfaltering courage, and marked devotion to
the principles for which our organization stands.
** After life's fitful fever
Our Comrade sleeps well."

C. L. THOMPSON, 0

J. N. POTTS, -^0

JOHN K. HITNER.

f